Albus Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by JetLaBarge
Summary: Albus has his challenges during his first year. Cleopatra is obviously his soulmate, and has brilliant insights into magic, except she cannot do it like anyone else. Albus has to keep peace between the two brightest and most competitive students at Hogwarts, Scorpius and Rose. Harry is not sure he can keep everyone safe
1. Prelude

Thanks to my Betas FriendofMolly and Arnel, and to JK Rowling who allows us to publish..

* * *

Friday, Sept 1, 2017

At least someone only tried to kill me once before I went to Hogwarts, Harry Potter thought. Albus has been living with the knowledge that people were out to kill him most of his life. Today they would put Albus on the train for Hogwarts, and this was harder than putting Teddy on the train, and harder than putting James on the train. Neither of them were the subject of prophesies, and neither of them lived under the threat of assassination that Albus seemed to live under.

James and Lily were Quidditch fanatics, and loved going with Ginny to anything to do with Quidditch. Albus was the one who spent a lot of time with him, talking about everything, and asking question after question. Harry was going to miss Albus in a way he had not missed James.

He looked over to his sleeping wife and a big smile crept over his face. Whatever he and his family had to face, it would be better with Ginny by his side. Harry could not imagine a life without Ginny. She was his soulmate.

Harry remembered Albus and Cleopatra, how they were soulmates, even though they had never met. That was one more reason to be worried. When would they meet, and what problems would that cause at Hogwarts?

Harry was on the Hogwarts board, and as head Auror was responsible for the security of Hogwarts and of Great Britain. No one had tried to attack Albus in Britain since Vernon Dursley's funeral eight years ago. Harry hoped that Hogwarts would be safe for Albus; it had been for the last nineteen years, but Harry was still worried.

Ginny Potter woke up to Harry's kiss. She loved her life. She did the spell that gave her a railing to help her balance when she went to the loo. The lack of balance was annoying, but it wasn't like she was in pain. And as she was using the loo and getting ready she thought about being a wife and mother, and how much she loved almost everything about being a mother.

Sending a child off to school was hard, though. She was not sure she could handle it when Lily Luna was in school too. She really was ready for another child; she was young enough.

Ginny was worried about the Prophesies as well. She was also curious about this Cleopatra girl, who was supposed to be Albus' soulmate. She hoped they would not meet too soon. Maybe if they were in different houses she would not have to deal with that issue for a few years.

* * *

Albus Potter woke up thrilled to be going to Hogwarts, but worried. There was nothing strange about Albus Potter being worried; he was worried, or concerned, or cautious, most of the time.

He knew he was at the centre of a lot of prophecies. He knew better than almost anyone except his father that way too many prophecies focused on him or could be referring to him. He also knew that people had tried to kill him, and of course that worried him.

He had practiced magic that no underage Magi should have practiced, and had been doing it all his life. Did that make him sneaky, destined to be put in Slytherin? Did that make him bad? He desperately wanted to be good, but he wasn't sure he always was.

It sort of bothered him that, after looking at wand makers in several countries, they still could not find a wand that chose him. The wand he had been using for the last six years worked fine. He already knew most of the spells they were going to be teaching for the next few years. But he wanted THE wand that was right for him.

* * *

Cleopatra Desiree Smith woke up as excited as she had ever been. She was going to HOGWARTS! She was going to get out of the Malfoy house where she had been a PRISONER, well, sort of a prisoner, for the last six years.

She was going to MEET people and, she hoped, become FRIENDS with a lot of people. Maybe even Albus Potter! Cleo looked. She still had articles from the Prophet about Albus Potter and his cousin Rose and elf and goblin DNA. She had every article she had ever read about Albus Potter, ever since they sang that duet. She just needed to meet him.

Maybe she could room with his cousin Rose!

Maybe she could room with ALBUS, giggle, giggle.

Cleo hoped Albus still played the guitar, remembering the duet years ago.

She took a deep breath.

The last photograph she saw of him Albus was still a little kid.

Oh well.

She wasn't exactly a little kid anymore. It had started. She could feel, and see, where her breasts were supposed to be they were starting! Not much yet, but it didn't look like a little girl or boy, it was, well, she wasn't real sure what a woman was supposed to look like down at the end of her breasts, except she guessed it was a lot different than a boy looked. Sometimes if the undergarments were thin you could see that women were a lot different than men, and not just the shape of the bust but what was down at the end too. She wished she had names for things. It was hard to talk about or even think about things if you didn't have names for them.

And she had bled, once, down at her bottom, and Mrs. Malfoy said that happened to girls once they reached a certain age, but why, or what was going on, no one talked about those things at the Malfoy house. There was probably a name for that too, something other than, "Mrs. Malfoy, I think I'm BLEEDING TO DEATH through my bottom!"

She hated these Muggle clothes she had to wear. Not that they were Muggle clothes. That was fascinating. Going shopping at a Muggle clothing store with lots of people was really exciting.

There was something three-dimensional about Muggles. She could sort of smell the difference, something three dimensional about them, and the magical people all had an extra fourth dimensional quality to their smell. The same with how people talked. Muggle talk and music was wonderful, but somehow just three dimensional. Magical people had, maybe not a full fourth dimension, but an added something on top of or alongside their sound.

She could see something different, some sort of richness, a fourth dimensional possibility, in magical people that just wasn't there in most Muggles. Except some Muggles had some or at least some of all the above, but they were Muggles, but they weren't totally.

It wasn't Muggles she hated, it was the store. Fanny's Fat Fashions. She HATED that store. It always made her feel FAT. She had big hips. She had a little belly too, but it wasn't real big, and most women had a little belly, except young Mrs. Malfoy, _ASTORIA_ yeetch, she was flat everywhere. _Astoria,_ HATED anyone with shape.

Nothing fit! Not unless it was way too big. Trousers that were big enough around her hips assumed she had this huge, fat, waistline, and she didn't, and the shape was all wrong. It was the same thing with skirts.

Dresses were worse, big tent like things.

She HATED FANNY'S FAT FASHIONS!

Mrs. Weasley, the black one, she was a lot darker, and young Mr. Weasley, their son, he was about the same shade as she was, and she, Mrs. Weasley, she had BIG HIPS too, but her clothes fit, like a woman was SUPPOSE to have big hips, not like you were FAT!

Cleo looked at her wand. She smelled it. The sandalwood handle SMELLED like sandalwood, and although there was not as much smell to bamboo there was some, and the tip, the dragon tooth, if you tried to smell it you could smell DRAGON. The three cores were always in tension. She didn't consider it fighting, exactly, but you needed a firm hand to control a wand with three powerful cores.

She could get more information about people with the wand aiding her other senses. The wand was one thing in her life that was JUST RIGHT.

SHE WAS GOING TO HOGWARTS! !

* * *

'Albus is on the train' Harry thought. 'Why is this so much harder than when we put James on the train?' Since the train was out of sight he turned around. There were eight couples left, and they seemed to be in pairs.

Two couples were obviously Muggles. A witch was guiding them through the doorway that would lead back to the station. That the door led to a small office a long way from the actual platform was always a surprise to Muggles, but it was a good way to keep the surveillance cameras from finding out what was going on.

Two more were almost certainly very conservative pure-bloods, dressed in traditional robes. They would leave through a Floo they had installed in platform 9 ¾ for anyone who would attract too much attention if they walked through the train station. The more surveillance cameras around the harder it was to cover for Magi not wearing Muggle clothes, and the more the Ministry insisted Magi in robes stay out of Muggle areas and away from Muggle surveillance cameras.

The next two couples were dressed in Muggle clothes. Harry was not sure if one of each of the couples were a Muggle or not.

Finally there were Ron and Hermione, plus Hugo, and his family. Ron waved and said "Taking the car to the Ministry garage, and then taking the Floo to work." Ron was going to his full time job as a key partner in Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, not his part time job as an Auror. Hermione, of course, was going to her job as Vice Minister of Magic.

Dobedo was by Harry's side, the only protection Harry needed most of the time. The little elf was notorious for the very few occasions when he had defended Harry with a meat-cleaver, and just the sight of the little elf was enough to scare most Magi with any desire to harm Harry. Since they had captured the last of the Death Eaters Britain had really been much safer and more peaceful. There were still parts of the world that were dangerous, but they, anyone in the family, had more protection when they went outside of 'safe spaces.' Of course there was extra protection, two Aurors on brooms, shadowing them as they drove to the station. It was too well known that Albus was starting school today, and that he would probably take the train. The Shook family drove to the station about the same time, taking their two daughters, so there was another Auror couple close as well.

Albus had his elf shadow, Frerin, with him, and Cleo had her elf shadow, Dis, with her. Maybe the elves could keep Al and Cleo from meeting right away. Harry could hope.

Ginny had her elf, Mitzi, by her side. Mitzi had been close to Ginny since a little after Ginny suffered the devastating head injury that ended her Quidditch career. Mitzi's main job was compensating for Ginny's lack of balance and inability to hear much out of her right ear. Ginny was still wobbly on her feet, and there were still the occasional innuendoes that the reason she was so wobbly had more to do with too much drinking than the head injury, a charge that, although it was totally false, still stung from time to time.

They were going to take Lily and Hugo to the New Burrow where Molly and Audrey would have classes for them.

Ginny and Mitzi would be going to various Quidditch teams getting ready for tomorrow's games. Usually Ginny would have a pair of stringers at each of the teams, writing the story of the game from that team's point of view. Ginny would of course be one of the two people covering the Harpies, her old team.

Life was good.

The Prophecies were really bothering him. Albus was too close to the centre of too many of them, as was Cleo, the girl who had been living at Malfoy's.

If there was nothing going on at work Harry thought he might visit the prophets in Switzerland. It wasn't like there was anything to worry about, but it couldn't hurt.

Harry wondered if this was how Albus Dumbledore reacted when he, Harry Potter, had finally showed up at Hogwarts.

Harry felt the scar on his forehead. Riddle was dead. Britain was peaceful. Hogwarts was safe. Albus would be at Hogwarts for the next seven years. Safe. Hopefully safe.

Hopefully safe.

An uneventful seven years, Harry hoped.


	2. CH 1 The Train Ride

CH 1 The Train Ride

I want to welcome Arnel, who has agreed to Beta my story along with FriendofMolly.

* * *

Albus Severus Potter climbed into the Hogwarts Express. He waved at his parents until they were out of sight, then met his cousin, Rose Weasley. Together the two of them went looking for a compartment to sit in. They bypassed the compartment that James Potter was in, holding court with admirers. Several of the compartments were full, others had mostly older students in them.

Al's house elf, Frerin, was trying to hurry the Albus and Rose by a compartment when Al heard singing.

(Sung to the tune of "Kansas City".)

 _I'm go to Hogwarts Castle, Hogwarts Castle, here I come_ ,

Albus opened the door and joined in the singing. It was like Albus' world turned upside down. THIS was the girl who had played the organ in the next room four years ago. He had been hoping to find her ever since. He joined in the second verse,

 _I'm going to Hogwarts Castle, Hogwarts Castle, here I come,_

 _They've got some curvy little witches there, and_ …

At this point Albus sang, " _I'm going to get me one._ "

Cleo sang, " _Albus Potter, I'm the one._ "

Albus and Cleo were looking at each other, great big smiles on their faces. The two elves were looking at each other in panic. Since Al was already in the compartment Rose went in too, looking at Al and Cleo in amazement as Cleo and Al continued,

 _I'm going to be standing on the staircase, first floor to nine,_

 _I'm going to be standing on the staircase, first floor to nine,_

Albus sang, " _With my curvy little witch,_ "

But Cleo sang, " _With Albus S. Potter,_ "

And in unison, " _And a bottle of vintage elf wine._ "

 _I won't Apparate_ _, because I'm on the train,_

 _But if I had to walk with you I'd get there just the same_.

Albus and Cleo sang the verses three times, each time with a slightly different harmony, Cleo playing her keyboard organ. Finally they stopped singing. They both stared at each other.

"You are the girl with the organ!" Al said. "I've wanted to meet you ever since the duet at the Magical Musical Menagerie."

Cleo said, "I knew you were Albus Severus Potter, but did not have any way to get in touch with you. I even asked Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy, but she said that the Potters and the Malfoys were not exactly friends."

"Are you a Malfoy?" asked Albus.

"No, I'm Cleopatra Desiree Smith," Cleo said.

Rose said, "May we sit with you?"

Cleo said, "Yes, please. That would be nice. My friend is ScorpiusScorpius Malfoy."

Rose said, "I'm Rose Weasley."

"What just happened?" Rose asked Scorpius.

"Cleopatra has been obsessed with Albus Potter for years. She said they sang a duet when she got her portable organ, but she didn't get to meet him," Scorpius said.

Rose looked at the two, staring in each other's eyes. She said, "Well, it looks like they just met."

Scorpius said, "You and I just met, Rose."

"Not like THAT, Scorpius Malfoy," Rose said.

"I HOPE NOT, Rose Weasley," Scorpius said.

"I memorized everything in all the textbooks," Rose said, preening.

"All the textbooks that have ever been written, in all languages?" Scorpius asked.

"All the textbooks we have for this year at Hogwarts," Rose said.

"Oh, THAT'S all. Well, so have I. I'm going to get the highest marks possible," Scorpius said.

"I am," Rose said. "You are NEVER going to get better marks than me!"

"We will see who is smarter," Scorpius said.

Rose and Scorpius stared at each other, each almost willing themselves to be better than the other.

"You and your cousin are FAMOUS," Cleo said, finally breaking eye contact with Al.

"I hope not," said Al. "We're just first years."

"This is the first time I'm going to see Hogwarts," Cleo responded. "What do you know? You must know something! You must have been there! Oh my!"  Cleo was bouncing up and down with excitement.

Scorpius was thin, all angles, with a thin face and pointed chin. He had the very light, thin blond hair of his father, and a complexion that was almost too pale. He wore expensive clothes that fitted him well, pressed trousers that accentuated his angular look, and all in all was very sharp looking.

Al and Rose noticed that Cleo was above average in height, a little thick around the middle, huge hips and butt. She was not as dark as Angelina, but she was very dark skinned. Her face was as round, as Scorpius's was angular. She had heavy black hair, none of it straight but not curled in any pattern, that had tried to be confined into a pony tail, but too many hairs had escaped and were sticking out all over. She was supposed to have a fringe in front, but the individual hairs seemed to want to go in seven different directions, and those were a disaster as well.

Cleo had a huge nose, wide but also long. Below the nose was a large mouth that seemed to go almost to her ears, with wide lips. She had on an expensive blouse and skirt, but nothing hung quite right on her body. She had dark brown eyes, and a huge 'isn't this fantastic' smile. Cleo didn't really look ugly, just awkward. She was as curvy as any eleven-year-old just starting puberty could be.

Cleo sat on one side of the compartment with Scorpius, and so Al and Rose sat on the other side.

Rose was tall and thin for her age, just a little shorter than Cleo, beautiful dark red hair as full as her mother's bushy hair. It was down to her shoulders, and hard to miss. She was also bright like her mother, and just like her mother had memorized all the first-year text books, and unlike her mother, having grown up in a magical household, had a chance to practice some magic. She was, to quote her mother, "cursed with high expectations," something that she was only sort of comfortable with.

Albus looked almost like a clone of his father at the same age, although he was a little smaller. He had the same black hair, although for the first time in three generations it was neatly combed. Albus had same green colour eyes. They were kind eyes as well, and Albus was one of the nicest people you could meet. If James Potter wore the family fame easily, Albus always found it awkward, and was not always at ease at being the child of famous parents, although he was amazingly at ease with other famous Magi. He was very proud of his parents, and very ambitious in his own way. Al had a cage with him with a very small, white owl, that he called Puff.

Scorpius looked at Al and Rose and said, "Are you sure you want to sit with us? We had several people who did not want to sit with us when they found out I was Scorpius Hyperon Malfoy. I guess I'm used to it, but Cleo, Cleopatra Smith, is not used to it."

"Why would people not want to sit with you?" asked Al. Albus really did not understand why people could be so cruel to each other at times.

"My grandfather is serving life in Azkaban. Both my father and grandfather were Death Eaters. Grandma had to yell at my mother and father to get them to take me to the train station. At least Mum does charity work at St. Mungo's, but all Dad does is sit at his end of the house and brood. I almost never see him. I hate him!

"My grandmother always says nice things about your dad, Al," said Scorpius looking at Albus. "She always says that your dad's testimony and fighting for her and Dad kept them out of Azkaban. Of course some of the Pure-Bloods hate her because she lied for your father. She met your mother, Ginny, at home schooling meetings and likes her as well. You are so lucky to have such good parents!"

Rose and Albus looked at each other. Both were feeling a little sorry for Scorpius. Cleo looked very concerned. Al asked her, "Do you know Scorpius?"

"I've lived with him since I was five years old. I'm not sure where I'm from. Mum and Dad have never seen me since I have been at Scorpius's house. I wish I had nice parents, and a nice family like you." She looked at both Rose and Al. "I've read about the Potter and Weasley families, you being famous and all, and I so wish I had nice parents and brothers and sisters and grandparents and all. It must be so wonderful to be part of a large family."

"It's a lot of people when we get together at Grandma and Grandpa Weasley's," said Rose. "It's kind of confusing and busy at times, but it is fun! Grandpa Granger died before I was born. Grandma Granger lives with us."

"Tom Riddle killed Grandma and Grandpa Potter," said Al, eyes down looking kind of sad. "The closest I've ever come to meeting them was seeing their graves."

Cleo said, "Since I was dropped off at the Malfoy house I guess I feel ugly and awkward and unloved. Sorry Scorpius, I know you like me, and your grandmother tries to be nice to me. Grandma Narcissa Malfoy took me in and has been home schooling Scorpius and me. She's tries to be nice to me. Scorpius's mother hates me, and his great-grandmothers really hate me. Scorpius's mum is not much of a teacher. The five of us usually have breakfast and dinner together. Mr. Malfoy has dinner with us sometimes, but sometimes he hides out in his corner of the house and broods. He has a short temper with Scorpius, but almost never gets mad at me. I don't think he knows what to do with me."

Al and Rose were both listening with eyes wide open. One of Al's great gifts was being able to listen to people, and by looking at them and accepting what they were saying have them open up to him. Cleo could tell that Al wanted to hear more, and lots of thoughts that had been bottled up inside of her started to tumble out. She said, "Actually I'm there because I'm supposed to marry Scorpius, but I think that's the STUPIDEST thing in the world. I mean I really like Scorpius but he's like a cousin or a brother. Can you imagine marrying your cousin? It's GROSS.

"I think my grandparents arranged everything with Scorpius's grandfather, maybe even before we were born, and everybody kind of went along with it. I know grandma Malfoy did not expect me to be left with her, but one day my parents said that I was going to be living at the house of the boy I was going to marry, and left me there. I do not remember anything before we appeared outside Malfoy's house! Grandma Malfoy was not happy, but my parents left and did not come back for a year, and she was sort of stuck with me. When they did visit a year later I heard them yelling, but my parents would not take me back. No one wants me! I like you Scorpius, I really do, and you are the only friend I have, and I do not know what I would do without you, but I really do not belong to your family, I do not belong in your house. I don't belong anywhere!"

Al said, "My dad told us a little about his childhood. When his parents were killed he had to go live with an aunt and her family, and they didn't like him either. He had to live in a closet under the stairs until he went to Hogwarts. He felt that Hogwarts was the first place he ever lived that felt like home. He became friends with his cousin, Dudley, later and we know him, and we kind of know Aunt Petunia, well, we've met her but Dad never visits her and never has us go over to see her. Dad never calls the house he spent ten years at home, and never calls his Aunt anything but Aunt Petunia. Maybe you can find a home at Hogwarts. And I'll be your friend, Cleo."

Al thought that he was going to be a lot more than just a friend to Cleo, but he did not have any way of talking about it.

Cleo's eyes looked right at Al, and she broke into a huge smile. She was thinking the same thing that Al was, that they were going to be a lot more than friends. She said, "At least I have a bedroom, but it feels like a guest room, and not MY bedroom."

Scorpius looked at Al. "Could you be my friend as well. With a horrible name like Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, it's not like I'll make friends easily. The Pure-Blood faction hates me because Grandmum lied for your dad, and because I side with my Grandmum and your dad. The other side hates me because I'm a Malfoy. I just can't win!"

Al answered, "Sure, Scorpius. I'll be your friend. I've read about the last war, well, I sort of had to too understand what made Dad so famous, and why I had to have an Auror go with me to some places and all. It's really a pain sometimes. But you sure don't sound like your dad or grandfather, and it's not fair to not like you because of something they did years ago."

Scorpius answered, "Grandfather Malfoy is a real piece of work, and I really do hate him. I guess sometimes I sort of hate my Dad, but sometimes I just feel sorry for him. I mean he did a lot of bad things, but he should try to be better, and try to be sorry for what he did in the past. That's what Grandma Malfoy says.

"I still think it's stupid to ask you to marry someone who's like a sister or cousin to you, especially when you are only eleven, and I really like Cleo, but what our families have done to us just is not fair!"

Al said, "Well, Teddy Lupin looks like he wants to marry our cousin Victoire, and Teddy is almost like a cousin, well, he's almost like an older brother to us, but he isn't really. And Rose and I are really best friends, and we have been going to school with Mum and Grandmum Weasley and Grandmum Granger, and when she is working on a text book Roses' mother. We have lots of friends as well as cousins. I can't imagine marrying Rose. That would be gross!"

Rose said, "I really love my mother, and she is a great mum, but she is usually working. We spent a lot of time with Grandmum Granger or Al's mother."

Scorpius spoke up, "Cleo and I really never had any other friends. I've been to a few parties with other stuck up Pure-Bloods. Some of them are just mean. Some of them say that Grandpa Malfoy should not have been put in Azkaban. I've met Grandpa Malfoy. We go to see him a couple of times a year, and Grandma goes alone a couple of times a year. I'm glad you haven't had to go," Scorpius said looking at Cleo. Looking at Al and Rose he said, "He hates your parents. He still thinks that the world would be better if Voldemort had won. I want to do everything in my power to make sure nothing like that ever happens again. I want to get just the best marks, and take the Malfoy seat at the Wizengamot, and help your parents," looking at Al and Rose, "pass the right kind of laws, and defend people grandpa wanted to hurt or kill."

Everybody was silent for a minute or two, and then Scorpius said, "My mum and dad don't even like each other. They don't sleep together. They hardly ever talk."

Rose asked, "They don't sleep together, or they don't sleep together, like they sleep in separate rooms, or they don't have sex?"

"What?" asked Scorpius? "Do you know about sex? No one ever talks about sex at our house. I know that boys and girls are different, but no one ever says anything about it."

Cleo looked down and quietly said, "Not even about girl things. I think I'm supposed to know about what happens to girls, but when it happened to me no one told me anything. I thought I was hurt and was going to bleed to death and die."

This was just the opening Rose needed, and she spent the next hour going over the facts of life, using proper scientific names for private body parts, and even making some sketches of body parts. Everybody was a little embarrassed, but Rose was so factual, so much in her "teacher lecturing" mode, that everyone listened. Besides Scorpius and Cleo really did want to know and needed to know.

When Rose explained about periods, Cleo asked, "It's supposed to happen every month? No one told me THAT."

Rose answered, "Eventually, unless you're pregnant or maybe nursing."

"Nursing?" asked Cleo.

"That's what breasts are for," said Rose, pointing to her totally flat front. "Boys think they are sex objects, but they are for feeding babies."

"I sort of knew that," said Cleo. She got a big smile on her face. "That's what these are for!" as she touched her nipples through the dress. Unlike Rose, Cleo was not flat.

Finally Scorpius asked, "How does the sperm get to the egg?"

Rose got a little indignant, like she could not believe the question, and said, "That's what sex is, what making love is, what sleeping together is all about. The boy puts this there (pointing to the body parts she had been sketching, with proper names, of course) and it must be fun because I know my parents sometimes send Hugo and me to visit Al or Grandmother Weasley so they can do it."

Cleo looked down at herself and looked up horrified. "He does what? He puts WHAT WHERE?!"

Rose said, "I really don't understand all of it, I mean no one shows you. They sure don't want you around when they do it. But I know that after kissing they get naked and do something and it feels real good and if you are not careful you can make a baby.

"It just sounds pretty unsanitary and too personal to me. It must be different if you are grown up."

Al had had the talk about the facts of life, and spending so much time with Rose he knew most of what she knew. He mostly listened as Rose was pontificating about sex, and watched Scorpius and Cleo. He noticed that after Rose talked about what sex was, Cleo looked back and forth at him and Scorpius, kind of looking down at where their private parts were, not sure what to think, alternately scared and amazed.

Cleopatra was originally just horrified about letting someone down THERE. Mrs. Malfoy had emphasized that it was supposed to be private.

Finally the discussion about sex died down.

Cleo looked across the compartment and said, "We've told you about our families, what family we have. Tell us about your family. Neither of you is an only child."

Rose looked at Al and said, "You go first. You have a brother AND a sister."

Al said, "I have a brother James Sirius who is twenty months older than me, but just a year ahead of me at school. All James cares about is Quidditch. He was Seeker for Gryffindor last year, the first first-year to be a Seeker since my dad. He wants to play professionally when he graduates. He has never minded being the famous Harry Potter's oldest son. I've never been comfortable with it. I'm glad he soaks up the attention. Then I can avoid the spotlight.

"Lily is twenty-four months younger than me, and she will be going to Hogwarts in two more years. She's smart, although she does not like to study, and I guess she doesn't mind being the daughter of Harry and Ginny Potter either. She has my mother's pretty hair, and she can get angry like my mother as well. I like Lily. It will be fun when she is at Hogwarts." At this Al turned to Rose. The implication that being James Potter's brother was not always fun did not escape Cleo.

Rose said, "I'm six months older than Al. My brother Hugo is exactly the same age as Lily. From something Mum said I think she and Aunt Ginny got pregnant on the same holiday. He's smart, but all he cares about is Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He has already worked there, and his life's goal is to be as much trouble as his uncles were when they were at Hogwarts, as much trouble as his cousin Fred."

Cleo said, "Fred is the oldest? He and Roxanne's parents are the Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that we met when we shopped at WEASLEYS WIZARD WHEEZES?"

"Yes," said Rose. "Victoire is the next oldest, and she is in seventh year, along with Molly, Uncle Percy's oldest. Actually Molly is a month older than Victoire. Fred's sister Roxanne is in sixth year. Lucy, Molly's sister, is in fifth year, and Dominique, Victoire's sister, is supposed to be in fourth year, but she is going to school in France this year. Louis, Victoire's brother, is third year, and Al's brother is second year. We have loads of cousins."

"They are all in Gryffindor," said Al.

Scorpius looked right at Al, and said, "I guess I'm going to be in Slytherin, but I would give anything if I did not have to be in there alone. Al, do you think you could be my roommate?"

Albus Severus Potter almost panicked. He did not know how to respond to this request. He thought about all the times James had kidded him about being put in Slytherin. His dad had said that he had a choice, and now Scorpius was asking him to choose Slytherin. Scorpius really needed a friend, and it sure sounded like Scorpius was trying to do the right thing. Dad said 'always do the right thing, not the easy thing.' Oh, help! Al did not know what to think, what to do. There was an awkward period of silence before Cleo spoke up.

"I guess you are going to be in Gryffindor," Cleo said, looking at Rose. "I would give anything to be in Gryffindor with you. Maybe I could make friends anywhere, but I just like you so much, and I'm not sure if I could make friends with the girls in Slytherin."

Rose said, "I'd like it if you were in Gryffindor with me. The Sorting Hat does the sorting. I don't know if there is anything you can do to change the hat's mind."

Al said, "My dad just told me that the sorting hat takes your choice into account. I guess you could try and tell the hat what house you wanted to be in.

Malfoy, Potter, Smith, Weasley,

"You go first, Scorpius, then me. I could ask the hat to put Cleo in Gryffindor with Rose, and if the hat would do that I guess I could go to Slytherin with you, Scorpius." Al's heart almost dropped down to his knees when he said that. What had he done? He looked across the compartment to see a beaming Scorpius and Cleo.

Cleo got up, pulled Al up, and gave Al a big hug, kissed him on the lips, and said, "Oh, Al! If you did that it would be so fantastic! It would be just like a dream come true! Thank You!" Sort of shocked at what she had done she sat back down again. Cleo was crying, but they were tears of joy. She looked at Al with eyes wide open, looking at him like he had just done the bravest thing in the whole world.

In all honesty, Al was thinking the same thing; it was sure brave, and gutsy, and maybe really, really stupid. And Cleo wanted it, and somehow pleasing Cleopatra was suddenly one of the most important things in the world. But he NEVER wanted to be in SLYTHERIN!

Cleo gushed, "Oh, Al, if you would do that it would be the most magnificent thing in the whole wide world! I don't know if it will work, but that you would try is just so fantastic!"

Al and Rose were both a little taken back by how excited Cleo was. Al said, "It would be the first Potter or Weasley not in Gryffindor in a long time. There are seven Weasleys at Hogwarts right now, no six, Fred left last year, no five because Dominique is in France, six counting Rose, plus my older brother James, he's a Potter, and they are all in Gryffindor."

Albus Potter looked at Scorpius, trying to read his mind. Scorpius was thinking, 'All my life I've had to live down being Scorpius Malfoy. Maybe if Albus is my friend I can become good, and maybe eventually because I am good, and am Al's friend, other Magi will know I'm good. I hope he is my roommate, I hope, I hope, I hope.'

Cleo was thinking, 'It's like a fairy tale, like one of those stories with lots of trouble but a happy ending. Albus Potter has already been in the Prophet. I can't believe he would be my friend. And if he goes into Slytherin for Scorpius what a brave hero! I almost can't believe, anyone would be so brave!"

Albus was not sure if he was being brave, or stupid, or even if he could talk to the Sorting Hat. Scorpius's gratitude was a good thing. It looked like Cleopatra had a bad case of hero worship, of him!

There were a couple more minutes of silence. Then Scorpius looked at Rose and asked, "I don't believe you know EVERYTHING. I've a few questions for you."

Rose said, "MY mum helped write some of the text books, so I've read some of them last year and the year before that and even the year before that. Al and I worked in the potions room in their basement and did all of the first- and second-year potions in the Potions text book that's new this year. We also know a lot of wrong ways to do things and what happens if you do something wrong. I WILL consent to revising together, no matter what house we are sorted into. That way I can teach you what you don't know."

Scorpius said, "Well, THANK YOU, Rose Weasley. I doubt you know THAT much."

Scorpius wanted to talk about text books and he and Rose ended up on one side of the compartment, arguing about academic things, a couple of text books spread out on the seat between them.

Cleo was fascinated about family, and Al was more of a student of human relations than Rose, and they spent much of the trip while Cleo asked Al about all the family, and soaked up all the stories she could. Cleo was especially fascinated with Grandma Molly who had all the children, and who seemed so comfortable with all the grandchildren.

Al also listened to Cleo, who really felt that her parents and grandparents had abandoned her. She had vented to Scorpius a few times, but he only had academic solutions and was not very comforting. Al was just a more sympathetic ear than Scorpius. Scorpius's interest in helping other people was more intellectual, plus a fierce desire to make up for what his grandfather and father had done, while Cleo and Al just liked people.

Albus and Cleo had been talking for about a half an hour when Cleo reached out and touched Al to make some sort of point. She sort of recoiled, then said, "You don't mind when I touch you?"

"People are touching other people all the time in our family," said Albus. "Grandma Weasley gives everybody huge hugs when she greets us. Mum and Dad always hug us and kiss us good night. Sometimes when we are playing we are all touching each other. Even little Molly and Lucy have gotten better at being touched."

"I think I used to touch people," said Cleo. "I know I want to. No one in the Malfoy house wants to be touched. I do not know how Scorpius' parents ever had him. They never touch."

"That's not a problem with my parents," said Albus. "It's embarrassing how they kiss and hug in front of us sometimes. Rose's mother and father are just as bad. I do not think Aunt Hermione was ever that much for touching, but she sure has it bad for Uncle Ron."

Cleo grabbed Albus' hand in both of her hands and said, "Thank you, Al. It feels so good to touch another human. The elves are sort of huggy with me, which is really nice, but it's not the same thing. The Malfoy house is so cold and formal."

"I think you would fit in with our family," said Al.

"Is one of your aunts really black?" asked Cleo.

"Aunt Angelina is pretty black," said Al. "Fred and Roxanne are as dark as you."

Cleo looked at herself and said "Mrs. Malfoy, Scorpius's mother, she is so thin and light, and of course Scorpius's skin is almost white at times as is his hair. She hates me. She says I am black and round and fat and ugly. It's hard to like yourself when someone is always telling you that you're dark and fat and ugly."

"You're not ugly!" said Al.

"But I'm fat!" insisted Cleo.

Al took a moment to look at Cleo, and said "No, you're not fat. Mr. Dursley, well, that is, was, old Mr. Dursley … Not Mr Dursley that we know, although he is heavy … his father, well, his father was fat! He was really fat. Mr. Dursley we know, he's heavier than you. Grandmother Molly Weasley, she is sort of heavy, but not fat like old Mr. Dursley. My mum is a lot heavier than she was when she was at Hogwarts. You're nowhere near as heavy as Grandmum Weasley. You're not skinny, but you have a nice shape."

"I'm fat and dark and ugly," persisted Cleo.

"You look like a girl, which is great," said Al. "You are darker than most people, but there is nothing wrong with that. Aunt Angelina is black, not just dark but black, and she is real pretty. Roxanne is as dark as you are and she is real pretty too. There is nothing wrong with being dark!"

"Oh, thank you, Al," said Cleo.

Al was quiet, thinking about Scorpius and Cleopatra and being sorted into Slytherin, and kept looking back and forth between the two of them. Scorpius and Rose were still animatedly arguing about some obscure point in one of the text books. Cleo was just looking at Al. Finally Cleo said, "What is wrong, Albus? You look really worried."

"My brother James has been kidding me for years about being sorted into Slytherin," Al whispered, some terror obvious in his voice. "I want to be a good person and …I really want to be a really good person, but so many of the students sorted into Slytherin turned out bad. I think I need to be Scorpius' friend, but the thought of getting sorted into Slytherin has me terrified."

"I guess I could understand if you did not do it," said Cleo with a frown on her face, looking worried and sad at the same time.

"I don't know what type of choice I have," said Albus. "Maybe Scorpius will be sorted into a different house. Maybe the Hat will not listen to me. If I can get you into Gryffindor with Rose and I can be with Scorpius, I will do it, but I'm scared."

Cleo took Al's hand. "You are a very good person, Albus Severus Potter," said Cleo. "I am sure you will stay a good person even if you are sorted into Slytherin."

"Sometimes I think I'm just good at not getting caught," Albus replied, a quizzical frown on his face. "I've been doing magic I'm not supposed to do all my life."

Cleo's eyes got wide open; she pulled on Al's hand and asked, "Like what? What magic have you done that you should not have done?"

"Well, I've always been real good at levitating things," Al explained. "Magi babies can keep things suspended, and I've never lost that ability. I've actually gotten better and better at it. When I was young I kept getting into trouble for levitating things. The Department for the Regulation of Underage Magic and I were engaged in a running feud. I never got in trouble for violating the rules for revealing magic to Muggles, but I was accused of all sorts of things."

"Did you do all of the things you were accused of?" asked Cleo.

"Er, they did get it right more often than not, but I was accused of a lot of things I didn't do," Al offhandedly admitted. "I did a lot more that I never got caught for than I was accused of. I got better and better at not getting caught. Mum got more and more disgusted at the hassling I was getting. She has a nasty Bat-Bogey Hex, makes bats and gooey stuff come out of your nose. Mum Bat-Bogey Hexed a witch from The Department for Underage Magic a couple of times, she was so mad." Al sighed and shook his head. "Bat-Bogey Hexing someone from the Ministry is not a good idea."

"Oh, Al, did your mother get into any trouble for hexing the Ministry witches"? Cleo almost shouted.

Scorpius and Rose looked up, and Scorpius asked in amazement "Your mum hexed Ministry wizards?"

"Al's mum is kind of scary when she's mad," Rose quickly volunteered. "When she's real mad she's real scary."

"I think she would have had her wand taken away from her, at least for a while, if Dad had not been the head of the Aurors," admitted Al. "We had a lot of fights with the Ministry, but eventually I got permission to levitate things, as long as no Muggle found out, and the Department was told not to bother me."

"Are you still levitating things?" asked Cleo. Al took a pen and a couple of coins out of his pockets and levitated them, just with a hand outstretched, no wand, and then put them back in his pockets.

"Anything else?" asked Cleo.

"Well," said Al, "I've used a wand since I've been five, but only in the cellar of our house where no one can tell. I've only used a wand outside this summer."

"How old do you have to be to use a wand?" Cleo inquired.

"Eleven, or the summer before you go to Hogwarts," Al replied. "They let you practice with a wand the summer before you go to Hogwarts even if you are not eleven for the whole summer."

"You're not supposed to use a wand before you're eleven?" questioned Cleo. "I've used a wand for cooking for as long as I can remember, but just in the cellar of Malfoy Manor. The house-elves did not want me to take the wand out of the kitchen, but I didn't think it was because I wasn't supposed to use a wand."

"I thought you had to use a wand for cooking," said Scorpius. "How do people cook without a wand?"

"It's not all that hard," Cleo replied. "It's just easier with a wand."

"Have you used a wand for anything, Rose?" asked Scorpius.

"Mum and Al and I went over all the beginning potions the last couple of years as she rewrote the Beginning Potions textbook," said Rose. "I've never used a wand for anything else! We're supposed to learn how to use a wand at Hogwarts, not practice before we get to class. That's why they have the rules they have. You're not supposed to do magic outside of Hogwarts until you're old enough!"

"But you used a wand last summer outside, Al?" Cleo asked.

"Erm, I sort of got away with it," Al confessed. "I think the underage magic people are still scared of Mum. Besides, I've got a pretty good idea of what I can get away with."

"You are sneaky," said Scorpius.

"He is," Rose confirmed.

That was really not what Albus wanted to hear.

Cleopatra had the diagrams that Rose had drawn, about sex, and she looked at them, and at Albus. Albus was looking out the window, and Cleo was sitting next to him, facing away but touching him. She couldn't believe how much she wanted to touch him, and be touched by him. She finally looked down at that most private part of herself, between her legs. No one else should be touching her down there, but somehow she felt that nothing, NOTHING, should be off limits to HER Al. He was a good person, and as long as he was good he could have all of her, any part. She was HIS as much as he was hers, and it felt really good.

Cleo looked again. THAT is how you make babies. Albus Potter and her babies. Cleo silently giggled. She looked at Al and totally surrendered her soul to Al.

Albus looked at Cleo, and held her hand. He had no idea what was going on, but it felt good.

Harry Potter received a call from Nausicaa, the prophetess from Switzerland. "Could you please go home and look at Albus' name on your tapestry? Call me with what you see, please."

Harry took the Floo home. Ginny was home, and he called her. "Nausicaa wants us to look at Al's name on the Tapestry, Ginny," Harry said. Together they went in and looked.

Harry called Nausicaa back right away. "There is the thickest golden line I have ever seen, but it is dotted, connecting Al with Cleopatra."

"They have met, then," Nausicaa said. "All they need to do is to consummate the marriage and they will have been married since today, or since the duet at the Magical Musical Menagerie."

Ginny, who was listening, said, "They'd bloody well better not have sex! Al is just a little boy. This is crazy!"

"I don't know how to handle this one, Ginny," Nausicaa said.

"I'm going to Hogwarts," Harry said. "I'm going to take my Invisibility Cloak, but I want to see the sorting."

Inside the train compartment Al, Cleo, Rose and Scorpius were in there were two Elves, Frerin and Dis, trying to be as invisible as only an

Elf can be. Occasionally one of them would whisper something to the other in Elfish. Keeping Al and Cleo apart was going to be a problem.


	3. CH 2 The Sorting

CH 2 The Sorting

I have a new Beta, Arnel, and she has suggested some major changes. I am grateful for her work. FriendofMolly, who has been my faithful Beta for most of this series, is still helping as well. Thanks to both. Check our Arnel's stories; they are excellent.

* * *

Eventually the train arrived, and the four by this time friends got out together. Al and Rose saw Hagrid.

"Hi, Professor Hagrid," said Al.

"Hello, Professor," said Rose.

In a booming voice Hagrid said, "Albus Severus, Rose, welcome to Hogwarts. You can show the other first years to the boats."

"Come on, Cleo, Scorpius," said Al. Scorpius sort of expected that Al and Rose would know many of the teachers at Hogwarts, but Cleo was amazed.

Cleo looked at the carriages, and said, "What are those strange looking beasts hauling the carriages? They almost look like death, but they look kindly as well."

"What beasts?" asked Scorpius.

Rose said, "Can you see the Thestrals? You are only supposed to be able to see Thestrals if you have seen somebody die."

"I don't know why, but I can see them," said Cleo.

"I've been able to see them since I've been real little," Albus said. "I saw a fight when I was very small, and someone died."

Frerin and Dis followed the four students, and Hagrid noticed a couple of older students move away from Al and Cleo when they saw the Elves.

The four friends, plus the Elves, climbed into one of the boats together, and Hagrid was amazed that Al and Rose seemed to be friends with Scorpius Malfoy. Al and Rose had been to Hogwarts castle many times as children, and even Scorpius had been there a couple of times. Coming in by boat was still amazing. Cleo was not prepared; when Draco or Astoria took Scorpius to Hogwarts, actually when they took him almost anywhere, Cleo was not with them. If Cleo had to go somewhere Narcissa had to take her, and no one would go with her. Frequently, Narcissa disguised herself so no one else would see she was with Cleo.

One by one the boats moved out into the lake and waited. Last of all Hagrid entered a boat, and took the lead, as all the first years followed like ducklings.

As the boats sailed into the lake the children finally saw the castle. It was a very large structure, with light shining out of over a hundred windows. Cleo said u"Oh! Oh! Oh! /u, Oh! It's like something out of a ufairy tale!" /u,

Albus looked at Cleo, and started to notice the boat ride like she did, with the flat black of the water only interrupted by the slight florescence of the wakes of the boats. Cleo could feel dark cold life under the boats. Al was maybe more aware than was normal for him of insects on the water, and of the dark forest against most of the lake.

The castle was dark, but the yellow lights shining from the windows were warm and inviting. Al could remember detail on the castle from being there, and somehow projected those details to Cleopatra.

About ten minutes into the boat ride Cleo took out and unrolled her keyboard and began to play. Al did not know how he knew, but he knew that Cleo was sort of copying parts of two different movie scores. There was a deep bass part, played by double basses, that stood for the lake and the mysteries under it. There was a wilder part played by the middle strings that was the forest. There was the anticipation of the sorting played by the high strings, and the brasses were playing the castle.

Albus looked at the keyboard, and saw that Cleo had something in her mouth that she was blowing, and that she was bending and moving the keys in ways that Al was pretty sure Muggle pianos could not try to duplicate. She was apparently adding tympani with one foot, and every thump of the tympani added to the drama of coming towards the castle. She seemed to be controlling the volume with the other foot.

Albus and everybody who heard felt the music was playing the trip, not only the physical facts of where they were going but the significance as well. Cleo played for about ten minutes and then put the keyboard away. As Cleo was putting the keyboard away Albus heard, just as if someone was playing it right next to him, Pachelbel's Canon played on the strings, starting with the same notes over and over by the double basses, with all the variations being added in by the upper strings. Somehow when he heard it Albus knew that he was the strings, a familiar melody, well structured, but with a lot of sometimes surprising variations.

On top of the Canon was a woodwind that broke into parts, flitting around the Canon adding a fantastic second group of instruments to the first, wilder, less ordered, excited to be adding her counterpoint to the solid strains of Pachelbel. Somehow Albus knew that this was one imaginary instrument that had all the range of the smallest recorder to the largest, with double reed instruments adding harmony and more wildness to the melody.

'How do you do that?' asked Albus mentally, mind to mind, not knowing why or how he felt he could communicate like that.

'Oh, I frequently have music running through my head,' Cleo responded, the music still quietly playing in the background. 'Music and colours, everything is in some sort of harmony or disharmony with everything else, some of it real complex. You don't see the world like that, do you?'

'No, I don't,' Albus responded. 'I have a gift for Legilimency, mind reading, but I've never been able to communicate mind to mind. I never thought I'd find a mind as different as yours either.'

'That's because you are like a well-ordered bookcase or library, lots of facts. You can feel the presence of magic, though, something you can't get out of books.'

'Have you ever communicated like this?' Albus thought at Cleo.

'NO, Oh Albus, isn't this exciting!' Cleo thought back.

Albus could feel more melodies starting to flow across Cleo's brain, along with colours that represented emotions including a familiar family colour for him.

Albus briefly withdrew from Cleopatra's mind. 'There is no familiar family colour,' he thought. He went back to reading Cleo's thoughts. It WAS a familiar family colour. That was the only way to describe it.

'Bookcase,' thought Albus. 'Cleopatra's NOT a bookcase.' This was beginning to be a very strange trip.

Cleo had a look on her face that was almost ecstasy, and Al knew she was taking in the whole experience of riding the boats into her memory, the sights and sounds and smells, plus an experience of being with people, especially him. Al backed out of her mind, mostly, and became more than a little worried. What was this connection between them? Was it normal?

There was nothing normal about the connection between Al and Cleo. Al knew that. At the same time he felt like… like… he felt like he never really saw the world before, and with Cleopatra he could see and experience so much more of the world, and besides she was just RIGHT for him, and he had no business feeling like this about someone else, especially a girl, when he was only just eleven, but he did.

Cleo rode above Al's thoughts, and somehow saw what a good person he was, and before the boat ride was over she had surrendered her soul to Albus, just holding back a little in case Albus tried to do something wrong.

Cleo was sure she would never want anyone inside her, in her most private parts, after the long explanation of sex by Rose. Those parts were private. Now she saw that she would never want anyone inside her, except Al. Al could go anywhere physically or mentally he wanted. She was in love with Albus Potter, and somehow she knew Albus was in love with her.

Cleo and Al reached for each other's hand, and held hands until the boats landed.

The distance across the lake was not large, but the self-propelled boats did not move very fast, and it took a while for all of them to get to the shore next to Hogwarts Castle.

As they got out of the boats Albus saw Neville Longbottom, and said, "Hi, Uncle Neville."

"It's Professor Longbottom here, Mr. Potter," Neville said.

"I'm sorry, I forgot, Professor Longbottom. Do your children call you Professor Longbottom here at school?"

"They do, and I call them Mr. or Miss Longbottom," Neville said. Neville then said to the students, "First year students, follow me."

Rose said to everyone who would hear, "Professor Longbottom is also called 'The Snake Slayer' because of his heroic actions at the Battle of Hogwarts. He only wears the Sword of Gryffindor for special occasions, and the goblins have it at Gringotts a lot."

Some of the students noticed that Professor Longbottom was wearing the sword.

As they were led into the small holding room before being sorted, Rose started to rather loudly talk. "I've been here for the anniversaries of the Battle of Hogwarts, of course. Mum and Dad did something down under the castle, but a lot of what they did is still secret. Mum and Dad travelled with Uncle Harry and helped him the year before he defeated Tom Riddle. Uncle Harry insists everybody call him Tom Riddle.

"Hi, Colin," Rose said looking around. "I expect you'll be sorted into Gryffindor. Cleo, Scorpius, this is Colin Creevey. His dad is second in command of the Aurors, and his mum works for the Aurors as well. Of course my mum is second in command of ALL the Ministry, Vice-Minister of Magic, and on the International Confederation of Witches and Wizards as well. Hi Patty, Cleo this is Patty Finnigan. Her dad is also an Auror, and a supervisor as well. Cleo hopes she will be sorted into Gryffindor. I really hope she is."

"Al!" someone shouted. "You will never believe who is here with us. Cal! Cal Glenbell. We have our band back together."

"Hello, Christy," Al said to the little girl. "Cleopatra, Scorpius, this is Christy Shook, and she plays drums in our band. Her sister, Sheryl, plays guitar. And our other guitar player is Cal Glenbell. Cal, I didn't know you were a Magi."

"I didn't either, until just a few weeks ago. Then we got my Hogwarts letter, and Christy and her family have been introducing me to the world of magic," Cal said.

"You heard Cleo on the keyboard on the boats," Al said. "Should we invite her to play in the band?"

"Of course!" Christy and Cal said, almost together.

Cleo had grabbed Al's hand again when they were out of the boats, and she gave it a little squeeze. All her dreams were coming true!

Al was worried. No matter how the sorting went there would be problems.

"Please follow me," Professor Longbottom said, "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will start out having all your classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and after curfew you are expected to be with your house mates in your house dormitory. We are trying to encourage students to spend some free time with students from other houses, but much of your free time will probably be spent in your house common room or elsewhere with members of your house.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding Magi. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

The students were let into a room that, Al knew, was next to the Great Hall, and then onto the raised area at the front of the hall. All the students saw the Sorting Hat at the front of the hall.

The Sorting Hat started by saying:

"The Sorting Hat is sorting  
Students from far and near,  
Not just from Britain and the Isles,  
But from wherever they may appear.

There is nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you,  
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave of heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart.

You might belong in Hufflepuff  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil.

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw  
If you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind.

And Slytherin, no longer pure,  
With luck you will find your friends,  
All ambitious, arrogant,  
Use cunning to achieve your ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap.  
You're in safe hands (Though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap."

As the sorting began Rose started to identify various people. Rose said, "Colin Creevey's dad and his uncle were in Gryffindor, and his uncle died in the Battle. I expect him to be sorted into Gryffindor too."

He was.

"Boris Badenov deCarlo, his mum and dad work for Uncle Bill and Uncle Harry." He was sorted into Ravenclaw.

The hat announced, "Cal Glenbell to Hufflepuff."

The hat announced, "Mack Goyle to Slytherin."

Mack looked like he was big, dumb, and mean, and Al found out he was. Seeing Mack made Al very nervous.

"Chloe Koizumi, her mum Cho Chang was at the Battle, and she is an Auror," said Rose as Chloe was sorted into Gryffindor, not into Ravenclaw like her mother.

Scorpius was, as Al had figured out, sorted into Slytherin. The Sorting Hat did not automatically sort Scorpius into Slytherin, but said to Scorpius "You are not like your father and grandfather. You are ambitious, although you are also very brave." Then it spoke out softly, "Slytherin."

When the hat sorted Hanna McGonagall into Gryffindor Rose asked, "I wonder if she is related to the headmistress?"

The next boy sorted into Slytherin was John Nott. Rose said, "John is also the son of an Auror."

Al had met John a few times when his father had a group of Aurors over to the pond at the New Burrow, or at other gatherings of Aurors and their families, and liked John. Seeing that John would be rooming with Scorpius and him make Al feel a little better.

At Ashley Ollivander, Rose asked, "Is she related to the magic wand Ollivanders?"

Cleo said, "She looks like her parents. I am almost sure she is!" Ashley was sorted into Slytherin.

Then it was Albus Potter's turn. When Albus' turn came the Sorting Hat said, "Easily the most interesting person since I sorted your father. Smart enough for Ravenclaw, brave enough for Gryffindor, and very ambitious, plus sneaky. Ideal for Slytherin."

Al knew he WAS kind of sneaky. Al spoke in a soft voice, "I really want to be a good person. Would sorting me into Slytherin turn me into a bad person?"

The hat replied, "I would think it more likely that sorting you into Slytherin would help turn Slytherin into a better house, but of course your choices over the next seven years will make all the difference. I want to sort you into Slytherin."

Al then said, "Could you please sort Cleo, that is Cleopatra Desiree Smith, into Gryffindor with my cousin Rose Weasley. If you do, you can sort me into Slytherin with Scorpius Malfoy."

The hat said quietly so no one else could hear, although everyone could see that there was a conversation going on, "In all my centuries of sorting students you are the first to have enough courage, and arrogance, to bargain with me, not just plead but bargain, and for someone else. You are making a most difficult choice for yourself, but a wise choice. I will sort Cleopatra, your soulmate, into Gryffindor. You will do well in," and then loud enough for the assembly to hear, "Albus Severus Potter to Slytherin."

'Cleopatra, your soulmate?' Al thought. He liked Cleopatra. Well, it was more than like. She was SO different, but it was like, for those brief moments when they were sharing thoughts, like together they were just a lot MORE, like she completed him in some way. But they were both eleven. Logically this was ridiculous.

The assembly was shocked. No one had ever seen a sorting take so long. Everyone was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Albus turned to Rose and Cleo, pointed to Cleo and gave a fist up in the air sign that Rose knew indicated that Cleo was probably going to be sorted into Gryffindor, and then he went over and joined Scorpius.

Albus thought to Cleo, 'I am almost certain that the hat will put you in Gryffindor.'

Cleo thought back colours and music of gratitude, feelings not a well ordered sentence.

There were mutterings around the Slytherin table when it appeared that Al and Scorpius were friends. Al looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw James looking at him in shock. For all his kidding, James never in his wildest dreams thought that Albus would actually end up in Slytherin. All the cousins were whispering to each other.

Albus went over to the Slytherin table and shook hands with Scorpius, and then sat down next to him. On the other side of Al was John Nott.

Al said "Hi John, do you know Scorpius Malfoy."

"We've just met," said John. "How do you know him?"

"We rode together on the train, along with my cousin Rose Weasley and Cleo, another first year girl," said Al.

"All our family has been in Slytherin for as long as anyone can remember," said John, "and some of them were really bad people, but a lot of them were good people. I'm glad you are going to be here with me. I know I'll feel better about being in Slytherin if you are here."

"How do you know Al?" asked Scorpius.

"My dad's an Auror, and Al's dad has had all the families of Aurors over at their big summer house once a year," said John. "They have a pond and a big climbing thing with towers and a big slide. It's a lot of fun. Are you there all summer, Al?"

"We go with my dad to the International Conference of Witches and Wizards in Switzerland the end of June and beginning of July." said Albus. "Usually I go early with Dad. But by the middle of July we are usually at Potter's New Burrow, and we stay there until just before September first, when all the cousins go back to school at Hogwarts."

As the boys were talking the sorting was still going on. Christy Shook was sorted into Gryffindor, and Rose said, "Her father and mother are Aurors, and help protect the Potter family."

"She's in Al's band," Cleo said.

The last person before Cleo was Zeus Sinistra. Rose asked, "Is he related to Professor Sinistra, the astronomy teacher?"

Finally it was her turn, and the hat was put on Cleo. The hat said, "You have made a very good friend in Albus Severus Potter. Even though I would normally sort soulmates into the same house, I am honouring his wishes," then loud enough for everyone to clearly hear, "Cleopatra Desiree Smith to Gryffindor."

'Soulmate?' thought Cleo. 'YES!' She projected more colours and music of love and gratitude to Albus, who responded with a warm feeling in his heart to Cleo.

Al and Cleo terminated their thoughts to each other, or sort of, not exactly said 'good bye.'

Cleo waved to Al, who waved back while continuing to talk to Scorpius and John, and then Cleo went over to the Gryffindor table, where she sat next to Christy Shook.

Chrysanthemum Sprout was immediately sorted into Hufflepuff.

The next person sorted was Cassiopeia Starkey, and Rose tried to place her. Cassiopeia was sorted into Slytherin, as was a female by the name of Blaise Urquhart.

Hansel VanDer Raaltee was sorted into Slytherin.

Rose was sorted into Gryffindor with little hesitation. Rose immediately started to introduce Cleo to people she knew. She was followed by Olivia Wood, and Rose said as Olivia was being sorted into Gryffindor, "Her dad came back to Hogwarts for the final battle. Brought some of his Quidditch team too!"

When everyone thought the sorting was done Professor McGonagall stood up and said, "Many of you know that in addition to a large number of foreign Magi, we have some Elves studying with us. Most of them are going to be living with the Elves that work for Hogwarts. However, two older Elves and one goblin have asked to be sorted, and I have decided to allow it."

Albus was surprised when Galadriel and Luthien walked in, followed by Thorin.

Professor Longbottom put the hat on Galadriel first. The hat said, "You are wise indeed, Galadriel. With your intelligence there is only one place for you, Ravenclaw."

When it was Luthien's turn the hat said, "You are destined to spend much of your life beside your sister. Ravenclaw for you."

Finally the hat was placed on Thorin's head. The hat said, in a loud commanding voice, so that the entire assembly could hear, "Bold indeed you are, Thorin Oakenwand. You have come to claim what is yours by an act so audacious that Godric Gryffindor would be astounded. Earn your place as a true Gryffindor."

Thorin looked over to Professor Longbottom, and said, "The sword, please."

Neville did what he had only done a very few times before, and never in public. He took off the sword of Gryffindor, which he only wore for formal ceremonies, held on to the scabbard, and offered the hilt to Thorin.

Thorin took a look around the room, took the hilt of the sword, and easily removed the sword from its scabbard. "I claim what is now mine," Thorin said. "I am a goblin, a High Elf, and a true Gryffindor. This sword, made by the goblin Ragnuk the First, will still be able to be claimed by another true Gryffindor in time of need, but except for those times it is MINE!"

Thorin gently handed the sword back to Neville, hilt first, and said, "The scabbard, please."

Neville gave it to Thorin, who put it on. Thorin then took the sword back and put it in the scabbard. He popped open the handle of the sword and put his oaken wand in the handle. He closed the handle, unsheathed the sword, and held it aloft. It shone with a brilliance so bright it was almost impossible to look at, white light coming from the blade, and red from the rubies in the handle.

Thorin put the sword back into its scabbard, and took the wand out again. He grabbed Neville's hand and shook it, saying, "Thank you, Professor Longbottom. Thank you."

Everyone in the audience was stunned. It looked like a legendary character, a larger than life hero from old, had just walked into their school.

Thorin proudly walked over to the Gryffindor table. At first the Gryffindors were silent, but before Thorin had reached their table they burst out in riotous applause.

Professor McGonagall stood up and said, "The sorting is now finished, and I will have to say it is the most unusual sorting in all my years at Hogwarts.

"Even though we are trying to foster more cooperation between the houses, your house is still important. That is where you will spend the next seven years. Upper class students, please make the first years welcome.

"Tomorrow and Sunday are free days. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden because it is dangerous. It will also cost your house points if you enter it. If you are so dumb as to get yourself killed you will cost your house even more points, so don't try to sneak into the forest."

"Enjoy your meal!"

After the dinner was done and the students were dismissed, Harry walked up to the headmistress' office with Minerva and the hat. Minerva put the hat down, and Harry addressed it, saying, "That was the most unusual sorting I have ever seen."

The hat answered, "Yes, sorting soulmates into different houses is unprecedented."

"Albus and Cleopatra?" asked Harry.

"What do you mean soulmates?" asked Minerva.

The hat answered, "Married, but not consummated."

Minerva said, "What?!" She looked at Harry.

"That is what it means, Minerva," Harry said. "Gringotts already has a joint account set up for them.

"We knew this could be possible several years ago. My best advice is to watch them. Do not do anything to keep them apart, which will be a disaster, but don't bend the rules for them without a very good reason. And please, let me know if anything unusual goes on."

"You saw the sorting, Harry," Minerva said. "We've never sorted Elves and goblins before. I've even been told about your Albus and Cleopatra by Nausicaa. Unusual has already started.

"Married! What if we catch them? Underage sex is strictly forbidden! We don't have married eleven-year-old students, Harry!"

"They don't know they are married, and they have not had sex," Harry said. "We want to keep it that way for as long as we can, please. I would expect that they would be best friends, and would not want them forcibly separated."

Harry turned to the hat. "Why are Albus and Cleopatra in different houses?"

"Cleopatra wanted to be in Gryffindor with Rose, and Scorpius wanted Al to be with him. Al asked, and I granted his wish," the hat said.

"That's all?" Harry asked.

The Sorting Hat said, "No. This is the first time I have been able to talk to witches and wizards, and to High Elves too. There is some strong magic at work in the castle."

"What else do you need to tell me?" asked Harry.

The hat did not answer.

"Were my parents soulmates?" asked Harry.

The hat said, "Not quite, but close. Your father was too arrogant to be anyone's soulmate when I sorted him."

The portrait of Snape snorted.

"Were there any other soulmates sorted today," Harry asked.

"Yes," the hat said.

"Who?" Harry asked.

"Thorin and his soulmate Galadriel," the hat said.

"Albus, have you been listening?" Harry said to the portrait.

"I know less than the hat, Harry," Albus said. "We are going to have a MOST interesting seven years."

"And I thought two generations of having a Fred Weasley was bad," Minerva said. "Harry, when your father and mother had you, they bred trouble."

Harry said, a crooked grin on his face, "Well, I have to say the act of breeding is MOST enjoyable, and I feel I have my soulmate too."

"One more Potter, one more Weasley, before I retire," Minerva said.

"Ginny is talking baby again. Lily Luna may not be our last," Harry said.

Minerva put her face in both hands and said, "NO!

"Two Elves and a goblin sorted into houses, the goblin a character right out of a fairy tale, and now this."

"Sorry," said Harry. "I have to go and tell Ginny what just happened."

"I'm not going to be the Dumbledore to your Albus, Harry Potter," Minerva said. "You just plan on spending plenty of time here over the next seven years."

"Yes, Minerva," Harry said.

"What happened, Harry?" Ginny asked as soon as Harry came through the Floo.

"They were sorted into different houses," Harry said. "Cleo joined Rose in Gryffindor, and Albus was talking to John Nott and Scorpius Malfoy in Slytherin."

"WHAT house was Al sorted into?" Ginny asked, not really believing what Harry was saying.

"Slytherin. The Sorting Hat told me that Al asked to join Scorpius in Slytherin, and asked to have Cleopatra join Rose in Gryffindor."

"How does Albus feel about being in Slytherin?" Ginny asked.

"I did not talk to Albus, just Minerva," Harry said. "She told me that she was not going to be the Dumbledore to Albus, and I was going to have to watch over Albus like Dumbledore watched over me."

"Can you do that?" asked Ginny.

"I will certainly try, but I really do not feel that I know enough," Harry said. "I was hoping for a calm and uneventful seven years. I don't think that is going to happen."

"Keep everyone safe, Harry," Ginny said. "Please!"

"I will try," Harry said. "I will try."

* * *

Much, but not all of Neville's speech at as the students are led in to be sorted, and most but not all of the Sorting Hat's speech at the beginning of the sorting, was copied from JK Rowling's Philosopher's Stone. We owe her a debt of gratitude for allowing us to play in this marvellous world she has created.

If you want to know what I changed ask me in a review.


	4. CH 3 To The Dorms

CH 3 To The Dorms

Thanks again to my Betas FriendofMolly and Arnel.

* * *

Rose was a wealth of information, and she was eager to introduce Cleo to as many people as she knew. The first-year girls were at one end of the Gryffindor table, followed by the boys, and then the table had sort of arranged itself by year, more or less. At the other end of the table were the seventh year students, plus a few eight year students. Thorin the goblin was sitting between the first and second year students, and while he was eating a number of older Gryffindor students went over to talk to him. The eight year students did not live in the Gryffindor dormitory. Any students older than seventh year students were in more adult housing. There were other tables the graduates of Gryffindor could eat at, but they frequently ate with the people they had been with the previous seven years.

When dinner was done Victoire Weasley stood up and went over to the first-year end of the table. She said, "I am Victoire Weasley, and I am the one of the seventh-year prefects for Gryffindor, and the school's Head Girl. Robert Coote is the other seventh-year prefect. You first-year students need to follow Robert and me to the Gryffindor dormitory. We will give you the password to get into the dorm, and introduce you to the other prefects. Then Robert will show the boys to their rooms, and I will show the girls to their rooms."

Once the students were all in the Gryffindor common room Victoire said, "Welcome, first-year Gryffindor students. We do try to be your family away from home. I want to introduce the other prefects. If you have any questions or concerns please ask one of us. The sixth year prefects are Ginny Jones and Mark Lionheart. The fifth year prefects are Jimmy Peakes Jr. and Dolly Longbottom.

"This is the Gryffindor common room. It is the biggest room in the Gryffindor dorm. Since some of your parents were here Gryffindor has grown. We have thirteen first-year girls, and eleven first-year boys, so there are two dorm rooms for the girls and two for the boys.

"In addition to the common room there are a couple of floors below this one, for study or just visiting. Boys are not allowed in the girl's dorm rooms, and girls are strongly discouraged from spending much time in the boy's dorm rooms."

Cleo raised her hand. Victoire said, "Please introduce yourself, and then ask your question."

Cleo said, "I'm Cleopatra Desiree Smith, but people call me Cleo. Can you, may you, invite someone from another house to visit with you, study with you, here in the Gryffindor dorm?"

Victoire said, "Before curfew you are allowed to have students from other houses in our dorm. They must leave before curfew. I believe the rules are the same for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I am not sure what the rules are for Slytherin, but it doesn't matter, because after curfew no one can be out of the dormitories."

Robert Coote said, "Males and females are not to be in bed together. Visit in the common room."

There was a lot of giggling, and someone, not from the first year students, said, "Even if you are a prefect, and you are with Fabianne?"

Robert's face turned red, and he obviously looked embarrassed, but he did not say anything.

Victoire said, "We have a lot more to talk about, but right now we will take you to your dorm rooms. Mark Lionheart and Robert Coote will read off boys' names, and then Ginny and I will read off girls' names. Go with the prefect who calls your name."

Victoire went last, and she called out, "Patty Finnigan, Chloe Koizumi, Hanna McGonagall, Christy Shook, Cleopatra Smith, Rose Weasley, Olivia Wood."

The girls climbed up a set of stairs, and kept climbing until they reached the top level. Hanna McGonagall said, "Are we always going to have to climb up eight sets of stairs?"

Victoire said, "You will keep your same room, but every year, as you advance, the room will move lower. As seventh year students we only have to climb up the first set of steps.

"The two dorm rooms on this floor share the same bathroom. Find your bed; it is the one that has your trunk. If you need to, go to the loo, and then come back here."

When all the girls were back together Victoire said, "I am Victoire Weasley, daughter of Bill and Fleur Weasley. I am studying to become a healer. My father was Head Boy, and my mother was something like Head Girl at Beauxbatons in France, so I had a lot to live up to when I came to Hogwarts. I have a younger sister that was going to be in fourth year here, but she transferred to Beauxbatons to finish her schooling. I also have a younger brother, Louis, who is in third year.

"Please tell us a little about yourselves."

Rose started, "I am Rose Weasley. My mother is Vice-Minister of Magic, and my father is a partner in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I have a little brother, Hugo, who is two years younger. My mother was Head Girl the year after the Battle of Hogwarts.

"I intend to study just as hard as my mother, and be the best in my class."

Chloe said, "My name is Chloe Koizumi. My father and his family own apartment buildings, and he takes care of them. My Mum, Cho Chang, was a DA member, fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, and is a BRAVE AUROR now. I want to learn how to battle bad wizards and ZAP them." At this Chloe waved her wand in an aggressive manner.

Patty Finnigan said, "My name is Patty Finnigan. My father is Seamus Finnigan, and he is also an Auror and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts. My mother mostly raises kids. She argues with my father, and then they make up, and then my mother says there is another child on the way. My oldest sister, Fabianne, is Robert's girlfriend, and I know they have been caught in bed together. I don't think they were naked, but no one will tell me too much. I have a brother, Macario, in fourth year, a brother, Baird, who is three years younger than me, and a brother, Cadoc, who is six years younger. Mum and Dad must have had another fight and made up, because she is expecting another baby the end of this year."

Olivia Wood said, "I'm Olivia Woods. My dad Oliver just plays Quidditch, although he did fight at the Battle of Hogwarts. I do not have any brothers or sisters."

Hanna McGonagall said, "I'm Hanna McGonagall. Everybody always asks, so I might as well admit that I am related to Professor McGonagall. She is a great-aunt twice removed or something. I've been told that she is NOT Aunt Minerva here. I have to call her Professor McGonagall.

"My dad and mum and our family build houses and things, and work with wood to make furniture and stuff. I have much older brothers and sisters and cousins. I guess I was sort of an accident."

Christy Shook said, "I'm Christy Shook. My parents came over from North America after the Battle of Hogwarts to help guard the Potter family, and we live in a house on another street with a garden area between. Our back door looks into the Potter's back door, and Rose's house is right next door to the Potters. I have an older sister, Sheryl, who plays guitar in our band, and I play drums. We have another guitar player, Cal Glenbell, who also plays guitar, and was sorted into Hufflepuff. Albus Potter plays guitar, but he mostly plays the bass.

"I also have a younger brother, Marvin, who is a couple of years younger than me."

Everybody looked at Cleo, who said, "My name is Cleopatra Desiree Smith, and I don't know who my parents are, or if I have any brothers or sisters. I was left at Malfoy Manor when I was five, and my memory was wiped. Some of the people at the Manor want me to marry Scorpius Malfoy, but we are not going to marry each other!"

Patty said, "I saw you holding Albus Potter's hand. Are you planning on marrying him?"

Cleo got the biggest smile and said, "The Sorting Hat said we ARE soulmates, so I'm sure I AM going to marry Albus, and have LOTS of his babies." Cleo proceeded to giggle.

Victoire gave Cleo a funny look. She thought that she should probably tell Professor McGonagall about Cleo's infatuation with Albus, and probably Uncle Harry, too. She then said, "I want to introduce you to the Elf who will be taking care of your room. If you are ever in a desperate situation and need to be rescued you just have to call on your Elf, and she will come to your aid. Juliet, please come here."

The Elf appeared, and went around shaking everybody's hand and introducing herself.

Another Elf also appeared. She said, "My name is Dis, and I am a guard for the Malfoy family, but especially for Cleo. I am here in the female dorm because I am a female, so I will be helping Juliet."

Patty Finnigan asked, "Where is your Romeo, Juliet?"

Juliet said, "In one of the first year boys' rooms right now. I am glad Cleo's Elf is also here, because I go on maternity leave for a couple of months December and January."

Patty asked, "Do you have any other children?"

Juliet said, "Three. No tragedy with this Romeo and Juliet." She had the biggest smile.

Victoire left the seven girls and two Elves, and they all got to know each other.

Harry and Ginny had just finished talking about the sorting when Ginny's mobile rang. Ginny looked at the phone; it was Victoire. All the seventh year prefects had a mobile, and Victoire's was able to call out to the wider phone network.

"Victoire, greetings," Ginny said. "Why this call?"

"Albus was sorted into Slytherin, but that's not really why I am calling," Victoire said. "It's this girl that was with Albus. They were holding hands before the Sorting, and, well, she was sorted into Gryffindor, and I've met her, and I want to talk to you about her."

"You've met Cleopatra?" Ginny asked.

"You KNOW about her?" Victoire asked.

"Sort of," Ginny said. "What's your impression of her?"

"She's not shy," Victoire said. "She seems very excited to be at Hogwarts. Patty Finnigan asked Cleo if she and Albus were, I don't remember how she put it, but Cleo said that the Sorting Hat called her and Albus soulmates, and she expected that she would marry Albus and have lots of his babies. Aunt Ginny, that's crazy!"

Ginny said, "I agree, it's crazy."

Victoire said, "What should I do about it?"

Ginny said, "I don't think there is anything you should do about it, at least not right now. Call me if you want to talk about anything. Our advice, Uncle Harry's and mine, when we have asked about it, was to watch and wait."

"Are they soulmates?" Victoire asked.

Ginny sighed a great big sigh, and said, "Yes."

"Caca," said Victoire, "Merde, Oh Sh… It's not like they are married or anything. They just, Aunt Ginny, how serious is this?"

"They are soulmates, Victoire. Don't say anything about this to anyone," Ginny said.

"Oh, well, it is going to be an interesting year," Victoire said. "I will let you know what I see going on between those two."

"Thank you," Ginny said.

Albus sat next to Scorpius and John Nott eating dinner. "I hope we will get a list of who is in Slytherin," Al said at one point.

Abraham Sanford, who was sitting next to them, heard him, and said, "The prefects and their favourites have a list of all the students in the house, but they will not show it to anyone. I have a list that my sister Ruth put together, and I added everyone in my year, but it is not complete. The Pure-blood fanatics will not even speak to anyone other than their favourites, except to order people around."

"I'll get a list," Albus said.

"You will get the Prefects mad at you, and that is not a good idea," Abraham said.

"I can defend myself," Albus said. "I hate to fight, but I'm not going to be intimidated either."

"Good luck," Abraham said.

Albus and the rest of the first-year students followed the Slytherin prefects into the Slytherin dorm. They were led to a seating area and told to stand against a wall. A fair size contingent of students sat. The prefect who led the students to the Slytherin are spoke.

"My name is Tom Riddle Hanley, and I am one of the seventh-year prefects," the boy with a prefects badge said. "Prefects run Slytherin. There is a well-defined hierarchy here, and you go against it at your peril. The other seventh-year prefect is Dorea Cowley."

An unpleasant looking female stood up.

"Sixth year prefects are Tom Higgy and Archana Lucy. Fifth year prefects are Bellatrix Hanley and Orion Cowley." At the mention of their name each prefect stood.

"After the prefects come the true pure-blooded among us."

A large group either stood up or raised their hands. A smaller group stayed sitting down, some defiant, others looking afraid.

"There are some Mudblood members of Slytherin, unfortunately.

"Well, who do we have here? Tell us who you are, and tell us a little about your families. Are you all pure-blood, or are any of you Mudbloods?"

John Nott spoke first. "My name is John Nott. My father is an Auror, and has been since the Battle of Hogwarts. As far as I know we are pure-blood, although I don't think that makes any difference. The Notts have always been in Slytherin."

Mack Goyle was next. "I am Mack Goyle, pure-blood from pure-blood. Dad said they are letting MUDBLOOD TRASH into Slytherin. It is disgusting!"

A fair number of people applauded, but others looked disgusted. Mack went to sit down with someone.

A first-year girl said "My name is Xenia Avery. My uncle was one of the people defending pure-bloods against polluting our blood with Mudbloods."

Xenia was also waived into the group.

They looked to Scorpius Malfoy. "I am Scorpius Malfoy. My grandfather is in Azkaban for all sorts of horrible crimes against our world, especially against Muggles and good witches and wizards who have Muggle …"

Scorpius didn't get any further before there were shouts of, "Traitor!" and, "Betrayer!"

Scorpius stayed next to Albus, saying, "I don't think this is a friendly place at all."

Albus stood out from the wall and said, "My name is Albus Severus Potter. My father is Harry Potter, the son of a mother with Muggle parents who beat that other half-breed, Tom Riddle, in a duel."

There were shouts of, "Half-Breed," and, "Mudblood."

Albus stayed standing, his face firm. Finally, he turned to the prefects and said, "I expected the prefects to keep order."

Tanya Gudgeon said, a sneer in her face, "They don't like you, Mudblood."

Albus put his wand to his throat and said "Soronus." Then he said, "YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME. YES, I AM DECENDENT FROM A MUGGLE GRANDMOTHER. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF BRILLIANT WITCHES AND WIZARDS WHO ARE MUGGLE BORN, INCLUDING THE VICE-MINISTER OF MAGIC, AND MY AUNT, HERMIONE WEASLEY. I KNOW IT IS AGAINST HOGWART RULES TO CALL ANYONE A MUDBLOOD. I WILL NOT STAND FOR THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE USED IN FRONT OF ME. IT IS WRONG!"

Albus put his wand down.

Tanya Gudgeon stood up and yelled at Albus, "DON'T YOU TRY TO ORDER US AROUND, FILTHY MUDBLOOD."

Tom said, "MUDBLOOD, keep your mouth shut."

"I see you are named after a half-breed, Tom Riddle," Albus said. "I am more pure-blood than your namesake, who was also in Slytherin."

"We have ways of dealing with your kind, Potter," Tom said. He and Dorea pointed their wands at Albus. Albus immediately Summoned the wands. Frerin appeared with a CRACK beside him. The Elf took a quick look around, as the other four prefects were holding on to their wands, pointing them at the floor. He silently said 'Dobedo' and Harry's Elf appeared with another loud CRACK. Other Elves started to appeared.

Finally, an older Elf appeared, and said, "There has been too much use of magic to intimidate other students in Slytherin. The Elves of Hogwarts want it to stop."

Everybody slowly put away their wands, while the Elves looked on. After all the wands were put away the Elves, except Frerin, disappeared.

There was a lot of murmuring as people quietly talked. Finally, Bill Bletchley said, "Al, did you really kill someone? That must have been exciting. How many people did your father have to kill?"

Albus looked at the questioner. "My father tried, even at the end, to defeat Riddle with a Disarming Spell, but Riddle's Killing Curse backfired on him. When I accidently killed someone who attack me I felt sick. My father and I have talked a lot about killing. Killing is wrong! Even when we have to kill, in a war, in self-defence, it is wrong to like to do it.

"Other than Riddle, my father has never killed anyone. He is trying to make an Auror Department where neither Auror nor criminal dies."

Bill said, "Wimp. Girly boy."

Albus said, "Thank you for your intelligent and well-reasoned argument."

A number of the students snickered, and someone said, "Bill Bletchley is hit by a Bludger again!" Bill Bletchley looked like he was going to start a fight, but he was restrained, as were several others who apparently wanted to fight.

John Nott said, "My father fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, against some of the nastiest killers and thugs you could imagine. He thinks he may have killed someone, and the thought of the battle, and all the death and destruction, makes him sick. He is very glad that he has never had to kill anyone in his years as an Auror.

"I too am going to report anyone using the term Mudblood in front of me. This type of talk HAS TO STOP!"

Goyle looked right at Albus and said, "Filthy Mudblood." He then proceeded to get back up and spit at Albus.

Scorpius looked at Goyle and said, "I am going to report Goyle right now. I don't want to share a room with an idiot who insults a roommate." He turned to leave.

Tanya Gudgeon said, "You cannot leave! It is against the rules."

"Calling people Mudblood is against the rules too," Scorpius said.

Hansel VanDer Raaltee said, "Calling someone a Mudblood IS against the rules. Let us be a little careful about what we say. We could lose a lot of house points for using that word, so just don't use it.

"My name is Hansel VanDer Raaltee. My mother was raped by pure-bloods. My father, not the man who raped my mother, is from the Netherlands, and there they do not pay any attention to this blood purity dragon dung. I'm pretty sure at least one of my great-grandparents was a Muggle."

Victor Vasey stoodgot up, and said, "I am as pure-blooded as they come, and my parents are very upset that Slytherin has students in it who are not pure-blooded. The world has changed. Albus Potter here is a powerful enough wizard that he has already defeated adult wizards, and his father defeated Voldemort."

Victor turned to Albus and said, "May I call you Al?"

"Please, most people do," Al replied.

Victor said, "Al's aunt Hermione Weasley is Muggle-born, and she is Vice-Minister of Magic. We all expect her to become Minister someday. Slytherin has been at the bottom of the houses for too long. With Al here, and some of his friends, maybe we can turn this house around and make it the best again. I say we welcome all the Muggle-born who have been sorted into Slytherin."

A girl spoke up. "I'm Cassiopeia Starkey. I have a lot of pure blood, some of it Potter or Lionheart, both good names. I'm almost sure there is a little Muggle blood in my family. I support Albus." She turned to Albus and with a big smile said, "You can call me Cassie, Al. I'll be your friend."

Blaise Urquhart said. "My name is Blaise Urquhart. My mother is Eloise Urquhart. She was in Slytherin, which is why I am here."

Rosie Rosier, a fifth year, asked, "Who is your father?"

"I don't know," she answered.

"Was he a pure-blooded wizard?" Rosie asked.

Albus said, "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE! Blaise is already a little embarrassed. Stop talking about this pure-blooded dragon dung."

Blaise said, "Thank you, Albus."

No one else spoke up, and the meeting began to disburse. Tom and Dorea walked over to where Albus was, and Tom said, "The wands, Potter."

Albus had the two wands in his pocket, along with his wand. He looked down at the wands and said, "What about your wands."

"Give us back our wands, Potter," Tom said.

"How do you ask?" Albus asked.

"Give us back our wands, or we will beat the living daylight out of you, you Mudblooded filth," Tom said.

John Nott said, "I have been at the Potters. Teddy Lupin says that they have tried to award him the Order of Merlin two or three times, because of what he has done. I'd be real careful before challenging Albus."

Frerin was suddenly standing next to Albus.

"House-elf taking care of you now?" Tom asked.

"The last time I was guarding Albus, and there was an attack, Albus had everything under control before I could Apparate away with him," Frerin said. "He is a very powerful Magi."

Albus said, "Frerin is an ELF, not a house-elf, and a friend as well as a guard. When you call an Elf an Elf, with a capital E, you are treating them with respect.

"It looks to me like Slytherin could use some lessons in manners. You ought to treat Elves and your fellow students with more respect. Ask nicely and I will gladly give you back your wands."

"PLEASE, give us back our wands," said Tom, gritting his teeth.

Albus handed back the wands.

Shortly after the meeting an older student walked over to Albus and Scorpius, and said, "I am Miles Urquhart, Blaise's half-brother. We are almost sure our mother had brief marriages to a couple of Muggle men, or maybe just affairs. She won't tell us. Thank you for standing up for witches and wizards who have Muggle ancestry.

"What do you call a witch who has Muggle ancestry?"

Albus said, "A witch."

Several other students came over to thank Albus. He tried to gage the support for the prefects. It appeared that many of the students were very upset with how prefects were apparently appointed. The prefects were all fanatical supporters of the pure-blood agenda, and not nice people.

Al knew that he was going to have to take Puff up to the Owlery and not let him stay in the room, but felt he had to write a letter to his parents first. This was going to be a very difficult letter to write.

" _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _Rose and I rode to Hogwarts with Scorpius Malfoy and Cleopatra Desiree Smith. Scorpius says the nicest things about both of you. He really wants to make up for all the bad things his dad and grandfather did. Cleo was in tears because several people did not want to sit with them. She became immediate friends with us, and so wanted to be in Gryffindor with Rose. Scorpius wanted me to join him in Slytherin in the world's worst way. I told him that if we could get Cleo into Gryffindor with Rose I would go into Slytherin with Scorpius._

 _The hat said that I was the first student he had ever had that tried to bargain with him for someone else, but said that although choosing Slytherin was a very hard choice it would be best for me and the best for Slytherin in the long run._

 _Mum, Dad, I'm a little scared. I think I did the right thing. I hope it is not a problem for you._

 _John Nott is also in our dorm, and I think Scorpe and I will like him. I think we will get along with Hansel VanDer Raaltee as well. There is also a Mack Goyle. He called me a Mudblood. I made a scene, telling everybody in Slytherin that I would report anyone who used the term Mudblood. Some people are mad at me, and some support me. I think it is going to be a very difficult year._

 _Al"_

When Al was coming back from the Owlery he decided to see if he could meet with Professor McGonagall and talk to her about Slytherin. Al took a rather substantial detour to get to the Headmistress' office. He looked up at the gargoyle guarding the office, and said, "Hi, Mr. Gargoyle. May I go up and see Professor McGonagall?"

"Just a moment, Mr. Potter," the gargoyle said. A moment later the door opened, and Al ran up the rotating stairs and knocked on the door."

"Come in, Albus," Professor McGonagall said.

Al opened the door and looked in.

McGonagall said, "You wanted to see me about something, Albus?"

"People shouldn't be using the word 'Mudblood,' should they?" Al asked.

"It's not exactly forbidden, but we are trying to stamp out the use of that term," Professor McGonagall said. "Why are you asking?"

"John Nott and I told the Prefects that it was illegal to use that term," Albus said.

"Tell me what happened, Albus," Professor McGonagall said. "Start at the beginning."

Al said, "The prefects said there was a hierarchy in Slytherin, with the prefects at the top, then the pure-bloods, and at the bottom the Mudbloods and those they don't agree with. Well, they didn't exactly say that those they disagreed with were on the outside, but they made it pretty clear.

"I got into an argument with them right away. It's pretty obvious that there are factions in Slytherin, and that a lot of people don't agree with what the Prefects are doing. They, Tom Riddle Hanley and the other Prefects, well, the oldest girl anyway, tried to hex me or something, but I Summoned their wands before they could get a spell away, and then Frerin, an Elf that guards me, and Dobedo, and Hogwarts Elves, appeared, and then an old Elf said something about not hexing members of Slytherin. Maybe they didn't want the Slytherin students hexing anyone. I don't know.

"And I know from talking to some of the other students that some of them, the Sanfords, John Nott, Scorpius Malfoy, and others, that they disagree."

"Other than walking you back to your dorm, so you are not in trouble for being out after curfew, how can I help you?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"I'd like a list of all the students in Slytherin, because we've been told that the prefects have a list but will not give it to you if they don't like you. They obviously don't like me. And I can make copies for anyone who wants it."

"You can already duplicate something?" Minerva asked.

"I can duplicate a parchment in parchment or paper. I think I'll give most people a paper copy. If a few of us want to share notes, that's magical, and I only know how to do that on parchment," Albus said.

Minerva McGonagall said, "Making a paper copy from parchment is a seventh-year spell! How many seventh-year spells do you know?"

"Not all of them," Albus said, getting a little embarrasses. "I'm sure I don't do some of them right, either."

McGonagall handed Albus a parchment with all the Slytherin students' names on it. Al took his wand, did some tricky wand work that ended at the edge of the parchment, murmuring under his breath while he was doing it. Then he pulled off a perfect paper copy of the information visible on the parchment.

Professor McGonagall stood up, saying, "We had better walk you back to your dormitory. It is well past ten, your curfew.

"You are tackling the politics of Slytherin, Albus. You are going to have enemies, and not only among the students. The head of Slytherin is a sister of the man who sold you your wand, Olivia Ollivander. She doesn't think wands should be sold to anyone who is not a pure-blood. She is an excellent Charms teacher, and teaches all students even the Muggle born. She will not be an ally in your quest to change Slytherin.

"Your Charms teacher this year, Urban Umbridge, was also in Slytherin, and will not be an ally.

"Your History teacher, Henry Slughorn, and his grandfather Horace Slughorn, were in Slytherin, and Horace was head of house for a number of years. They may not fight you, but I doubt if they will be much help, unless you can somehow make what they do to help you also help them. They are both proud, vain, and more than a little selfish.

"Be careful who you share information with. Not everybody who acts friendly is a friend. And Albus, the less you share of what I tell you the better. I can give you advice, but only in confidence."

"I know how to keep a secret," Albus said. "Maybe that's why I am in Slytherin."

When Al arrived at the Slytherin dorm and said the password an alarm rang. After about ten minutes Tom R. Handley opened the door, and said, "Potter, you Mudblood scum, you are confined to the dorm until Monday for being out after curfew."

Professor McGonagall was standing just out of sight, and she came into view and said, "Albus was talking to me in my office, and has my permission to be out. The confinement is not appropriate."

"Yes, Professor," said Tom.

"It is also not appropriate to use the term Mudblood, or discriminate against students with Muggle ancestry, Tom," Minerva said.

Tom glared at Albus. He took Albus into the Slytherin dorm without another word, not acknowledging the Headmistress' comments about Muggle-born.

Once the door was closed Tom said, "You will pay for this, Potter. You will pay!"

Frerin was immediately at Albus' side.

Albus walked into his dorm room. People were getting ready for bed, or reading quietly in their beds. Albus sat on his bed and worried.

Among the elf students that started at Hogwarts that fall were the elves, Martin, who had been raised with Albus and Rose, and Rosa, who had been raised with Scorpius and Cleopatra. They were being taught in the house-elf area, and few in the student body were aware how many house-elf students there were at Hogwarts.

Cleopatra had been given a piece of parchment that she could write on, and a copy would appear on the Elf Rosa's parchment. Rosa could erase both parchments and write something back to Cleo. Just before she went to sleep but when she was alone in her bed, Cleo set to writing to Rosa.

" _Dear Rosa,_

 _The most amazing thing happened today. Scorpius and I met Albus Potter and Rose Weasley. They rode with us on the train, and we became friends! Albus helped me get sorted into Gryffindor so I could be with Rose, and Al got sorted into Slytherin so he could room with Scorpius. I think Albus is the nicest, bravest person I have ever met. He was scared about being sorted into Slytherin but he did it anyway. Rose knows so many people. I have been so lonely at the Malfoy house. They are such cold people, and they never took me anywhere. Albus lets me touch him! I hope you have a friend as well._

 _Your friend Cleo."_

Rose had been given a similar parchment by Martin, and she wrote

" _I'm in Gryffindor, but Al is in Slytherin! We met Scorpius Malfoy on the train, plus a girl, Cleo, who had been living at Scorpius' house. I know my dad hates the Malfoys, but Scorpius seems to be such a nice enough. I've never met anyone I could talk to like Scorpius, except my mum and grandma Granger. I do not care what Dad says, I am going to study with Scorpius, and Al and Cleo. I hope you have a friend too, and are not alone._

 _Rose."_

Martin and Rosa were together when writing appeared on their letters. They wrote the same letter back. _"I have a good friend here. See you soon."_

Harry and Ginny received Al's letter late that evening. James Sirius Potter was an open book, easy to understand. There were depths to Albus Severus, and he was not at all easy to understand. Harry said thoughtfully to Ginny and himself, "I asked the hat to put me in Gryffindor, but Al bargained with the hat for someone else. He is one strange child sometimes." Harry wrote back a quick letter saying

 _"Dear Al,_

 _Always do what is right, not what is easy. If the hat approves of your choice, your mother and I also approve. The hat would never have put you in Slytherin if it thought that would be a bad choice. We are very proud of you._

 _Your loving father,_

 _Harry Potter"_

Ginny added

 _"Dear Al,_

 _I am so proud of you! We will always love you._

 _Mum"_


	5. CH 4 The First Saturday

CH 4 "The First Saturday"

Thanks again to my Betas, FriendofMolly and Arnel. If you have not read Arnel's stories they are well worth reading.

* * *

It was the first Saturday in September, 2 September 2017, and the first Professional Quidditch game of the season. Harry was up first, as was normal. He dressed in the Muggle clothes of the day: very few Magi were wearing robes. Harry was looking over the list of the guests. He had a list of all the people who were going to be at the Potter/Weasley box, watching the Holyhead Harpies. The box also served as the unofficial Ministry of Magic Box. The Harpy Board of Directors box was next door to the Potter/Weasley box.

The British Auror training program was one of three outstanding programs in the world, along with the North American program and the Chinese program. Harry was happy with the state of the British training program. All three programs trained about forty Aurors at a time. The British program had become the de-facto program for training the best of the European Aurors, as well as a smattering of Aurors from other countries, and as usual there were five Aurors from more distant areas. Three of the five sets of parents of the Aurors from the more distant countries were in Britain, and Harry had invited all three sets to the Quidditch game. All three sets of parents gladly accepted. Having a chance to mingle with the famous Harry Potter was still something that thrilled many of the Magi in the world. Harry had gone from amazement to a little resentment to amused acceptance of his fame. Life was very good for Harry. He seemed to live life grateful that he had chosen to come back to life after Riddle killed him and both to himself and to others it seemed as if he went through life amazed at what he had been given.

This was going to be the first Quidditch game since Albus had gone to Hogwarts. Albus liked Quidditch, but he was not a fanatic like James or Lily. Albus actually liked whatever Harry was doing, but amazingly enough he was not focused on becoming an Auror. Neither Harry nor Albus could tell you exactly what Albus was going to be doing after Hogwarts.

Ginny was waking up. Harry loved looking at Ginny. She was still beautiful, as far as Harry was concerned, and he knew she worked very hard to stay that way.. She was still freckled, face and legs and arms, and worked hard with magic lotions to keep her skin young looking and freckled. She was thirty-five pounds heavier than when she was married. Harry knew that Ginny was frustrated that she still had the little belly in the front, but as far as Harry was concerned the extra weight did not matter. Harry thought she had an outstanding figure, busty enough to be delightful to look at and a lot of fun when they were making love, still thin enough around the waist, nowhere near the tiny waist Ginny had when they were married, but she still went in and not out there, and delightful shapely, ample hips. Ginny said her hips were fat, but Harry never minded them. The children were old enough that they had gone back to sleeping without anything on; although night clothes were always close at hand.

He was still amazed that he had been lucky enough to marry someone as brave, as smart, and as fun to be with as Ginny. Harry was a little shocked to realize that he had been married to Ginny for over half of his life, with two of their three children at Hogwarts. Harry went over to their bed and gave Ginny a kiss, saying, "Good morning, beautiful wife. I love you."

Harry continued to kiss Ginny, moving down her body with his lips and hands, knowing he was driving her crazy. She stretched out, reached down to where she knew it would drive him crazy even through his clothes.

"Shake Lily Luna out of bed, please, Harry. Love you too," said a still slightly groggy Ginny, giving Harry a little slap on the butt. She went to the loo, took the morning potions she was supposed to take, and brushed her teeth. By this time she was awake. She put on one of the magic bras that would, with spells, support her breasts. She knew Harry liked to look at them, and more than look at them. She was sort of resigned to her shape. The accident that had ended her Quidditch career had hurt her balance. She just could not move as fast as before her accident. Maybe she could get bigger on top if she became pregnant again, and not lose all of it. There were potions and lotions that small breasted women used to gain shape when they became pregnant, not that she was all that small. She knew she was sort of curvy but would not mind being a little more striking.

Yes, she was a little vain. At the same time the newspaper and magazine articles about the Potters always talked about how she looked, mentioned her striking long red hair, her still freckled face, her shape. She dressed in shorts that flattered her bottom and hid the baby belly, a blouse that showed off her shape on top without being too revealing, and because it was a little chilly a Harpies jacket.

The problem was that she was never content with doing just one thing with her life. She loved the Quidditch reporting, but really missed playing. She had played Quidditch with the little children until her accident, and helped teach them. Since her accident she couldn't even fly. She loved having older children, but missed babies. It would be sort of a relief to have Lily at Hogwarts, but then she would not have a child being schooled at the New Burrow with her family. Ginny knew that Audrey and Molly were going to continue to help mothers in the Ottery St. Catchpole area teach their children.

Well, right now she needed to focus on the Quidditch game.

Harry knocked on the door to Lily's room, and when there was no answer went into the room. Lily was still in bed. "Wake up, Lily Luna, if you want to go to the Quidditch game, or we'll leave you home with the Elves."

"Do you have so bloody cheerful in the morning, Dad," answered Lily. Harry left as soon as he saw her feet on the floor. Lily really wanted to go to the Quidditch games, and she only had to miss a couple to find out that her parents were serious, and if she was not ready on time they actually would leave her at home.

Albus Severus woke up with a start, and started to contemplate the events of the last twenty-four hours. His brother James had kidded him for years about being sorted into Slytherin, because of his middle name, and because he was sneaky. James liked to tease, and he especially liked to tease him. Now the teasing would never end. He had to do something to make being sorted into Slytherin good and not bad.

The Hat had said that he could help make Slytherin a better house; how was he supposed to do that? He was already fighting with the prefects. He was going to have to talk to Victoire about prefects; she was Head Girl.

Al really hoped that Scorpius could become a good friend, and that being friends with Al could make Scorpius a better person. He seemed friendly enough, and it seemed he really wanted to be good. He and Rose sure hit it off well. Al knew that from the little Legilimency that he used during the train ride that Scorpius was fascinated by Rose, and she with him. The constant bickering back and forth was mostly friendly.

He'd never met anyone like Cleo. She was strange, fun to talk to but strange. Was she his soulmate? This mind to mind communication was really strange. It felt strange, but it kind of felt like being hugged too.

Before any of the Gryffindor first years could go to breakfast there was a meeting in the common room with the first years.

Victoire said, "We have been told that professors do not want more than twenty students in the first year classes. We have twenty-four of you. Slytherin has only ten first years. It would be ideal if four of you would volunteer to go to classes with the Slytherin first years.

Rose and Cleo immediately raised their hands. Christy Shook also raised her hand, a little reluctantly.

Victoire said, "None of the boys is brave enough?"

Colin Creevey II raised his hand.

Victoire said, "Thank you. I will give this information to Professor McGonagall. You are free the next two days. I would strongly suggest that you read your textbooks, at least the first two chapters of each, if you have not already done so."

When they went down to breakfast Al and Scorpius were already down in the Great Hall eating. Cleo said "Should we eat at the Gryffindor table or go over and see Al and Scorpius?"

Rose answered, "Let's say hi to them and offer to meet after breakfast." The two girls walked over to Al and Scorpius and Rose said "We had a meeting of first years before breakfast. We'll meet you after breakfast."

Al said, "We should be done with breakfast before you. We'll come over and sit next to you after we are done, if that is all right with you."

Rose said "Sure, come on over."

Cleo gave Al a little wave and giggled. Al smiled and gave Cleo a little wave back. When they were gone Al said to Scorpius "Is Cleo always like that?"

"Like what?" asked Scorpius?

"That little wave and giggle," said Al.

"She never did anything like that with me," said Scorpius. "She is a lot more emotional than anyone in our house, although she tries real hard to control it around my mother and father and even more around the grandmas."

Rose and Cleo sat next to Christy, who was talking with Colin. Cleo said, "Thank you for going with us to the classes with the Slytherin students. THANK YOU!"

Christy said, "Well, Al is in the band with me, and we want you in too, so I just thought it would be easier if we had classes together."

Colin said, "My dad is some sort of big hero, and I didn't want to let him down. Besides, Rose, your mum was brilliant at school, and it couldn't hurt to study with you."

Christy said, "Cleo, how did you get to be such good friends with Albus Potter?"

Cleo said, "IT'S FATE! As soon as we met we knew. We played and sang a duet at the Magical Musical Menagerie years ago, even though we never met, and I think from that moment on we knew! Albus is the only male who could handle my wand. It's just, it's just, FATE!"

Christy asked Rose, "You and Scorpius Malfoy, is that FATE too?"

Rose made a face and said, "He's bright, but he's an arrogant prat. We've both memorized all the textbooks, but I had a chance to talk to my mum about them, and she's been helping to write them. He just knows what he has read."

Cleo said, "He is just trying to be the best student, and be good. He doesn't want to be like his father and grandfather."

When they were done with breakfast Al and Scorpius went over to the Gryffindor table and sat down, Al next to Cleo and Scorpius next to Rose.

Cleo shouted, "WE ARE GOING TO BE IN CLASS WITH YOU!"

Rose said, "There are too many students in Gryffindor, and too few in Slytherin, so Cleo and I, Christy Shook and Colin Creevey, will be taking all our classes with Slytherin."

Al and Cleo held hands and the best way to describe it would be to say they shook minds, like you shake hands, and that is sort of an analogy of what they did, but it's a lousy one. They greeted each other mentally.

Rose looked at Scorpius and said, "Let's go up and see the library! It's huge!"

Scorpius said, "I'd like that. I plan on spending a lot of time there. I want to be the best student at Hogwarts."

"I will help you, I guess," said Rose. "My mother was the best student in her class. Some say she is the smartest witch in the world. It's not good enough for me to just be good; I have to be the best, and know more than anybody, and make my mother proud!"

"I'd like to study with you," said Scorpius. "I want to be as smart as anyone in the school too! Rose, let's be the smartest witch and wizard, or at least the hardest working."

"My dad is really going to be mad if you are a better student than I am," Rose said.

"My dad is probably going to be furious at me for even talking to you, but he's a git, and he's always mad at me anyway," Scorpius said.

"Do you want to come?" Rose asked Christy and Colin.

The two students looked at each other, and both shook their heads no.

Scorpius and Rose led the way and Al and Cleo followed. Al was just smiling looking around, and Cleo was looking at the other three trying to figure out the dynamics of the group. She finally looked at Al and said, "What do you want to learn here?"

"I'm already a pretty good Magi," he said. "I want to be as good a Magi as I can be, not just what I can do with magic, but what I can do to make the world a better place. I know most of what Rose knows, but she knows more obscure facts, and I can do more magic. What about you?"

"I don't want to marry Scorpius, although he is a nice person," Cleo said. "I think he is a good person too. I don't know." Cleo looked at Al, and he back at her.

Al thought there was a lot more Cleo wanted to say, and if he was quiet she would open up. Scorpius and Rose, despite being raised by Elves, really talked like life was a series of questions and answers, and most of the answers were in books. They almost needed to talk in Elfish to get some of the emotions and the non-logical part of analyzing people. Dealing with emotions was a lot more natural to Al and Cleo.

"You don't have to decide what you are going to be when you grow up," Al finally said. "We are young."

"Do you know?" asked Cleo.

"No," said Al. "I've had a lot of talks with the prophets in Switzerland, and I think I am supposed to be ready for something, but I have no idea what it is."

Cleo could feel something in Al's mind, like he didn't want to tell her what the prophets were telling him. Al could feel Cleo's probing and questions, and so he said, "I sort of know a little, I guess, but let me tell you when it is a better time."

"You talk to the prophets in Switzerland?" asked Cleo. "Who else do you talk with?"

"Well, Dad knows just about everybody," said Al. "The Minister of Magic and the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Witches and Wizards. That office rotates among some of the Ministers of Magic. I've met them all. Dad was even Supreme Mugwump one year. Maybe because I know so many people I am just content to wait and see what happens. If I am a good wizard I know there will be something I am supposed to do." Al was mostly looking ahead, following Rose and Scorpius who were in the lead, but he turned to Cleo and said, "You?"

"I'm lonely," said Cleo. "I think I like people, but I've never been around many. It was like a prison at the Malfoys house. I love it that there are so many people here. It's like I need to get to be friends with lots of people. I have a lot of Muggle movies, and the ones I like show lots of people. Scorpius and I talk a lot, but it's like it's all in his head, like he is trying to figure it out, like if you think hard enough about something you can understand it. Some things you cannot understand by thinking about it."

"When you use a wand you have to think about what you want to do, but you have to feel it too," said Al. "With enough practice you can do things almost without thinking about it."

"I've used a wand for years for cooking," said Cleo. "I guess I was not supposed to, but in the basement of the Malfoy house I got away with it. I really like cooking. It's not just about thinking and following directions. Natural things have flavors that change; spices loose some of their flavor, spells work a little differently on different things. You have to taste and smell the food, not just follow directions. I like that."

Al said, "My dad is probably the best wizard in the world in making mapping potions, showing the plan of a building or area with all the people in it. His father, Grandpa Potter who I never knew, made something called the Marauders Map that showed not only all the rooms but also all the people or ghosts or elves in the building. I started working with my dad on making maps when I was five, and I think I could make my own map of Hogwarts now."

Cleo looked at Al with eyes wide opened, touched him, and said "Oh Al, I would love to do that with you. Sometimes I think all Scorpius wants to do is to learn ABOUT magic. I want to do it! I want to have adventures! I want to do things! I want to live!"

Al thought he had never met anyone who talked quite like Cleo. She was so excited about everything. If Rose and Scorpius were cold and cerebral, living life in their minds, Cleo was red hot. She was a touching, feeling and exuberant person. By this time they were at the library. Rose and Scorpius roamed the aisles of shelves, and Al and Cleo followed, listening as Rose and Scorpius noticed one section after another. After covering the entire library except the Restricted Section Rose asked everybody, "Where should we start?"

"Let's start in the history section," said Scorpius. "We have a couple of histories at home, but I'd like to learn more." Rose and Scorpius went excitedly into the history section, and both of them ended up with a couple of big books they were going to read, and then maybe trade books if they were any good.

Al looked at Cleo and said, "Do you want to do this, or maybe help me start mapping Hogwarts."

"Oh, Al!" said Cleo. "Real practical magic, Oh, oh that would be so fantastic! Oh, Al, I'm so glad we met. Wow!"

"I'll take that as a yes," said Albus, chuckling inside, amused at Cleo's excitement. They went down to the Slytherin dorm, and Al took Cleo into his dorm room. As they went Al tried to see if he could get into Cleo's mind again.

'I'm still here!' Cleo thought back at Al. She then kept up looking at the castle, music and colors and strange associations flying through her head. Albus soon found out that he could ride on the surface of the melody, sort of in tune with Cleo without getting into the impossible task of thinking what she was thinking.

Just before they entered the Slytherin dorms Cleo said to Al, "You have been riding on the surface of my thoughts!"

"You can tell?" Al asked.

"Oh, YES," Cleo said. "I like it. It is sort of like being hugged."

Al looked up at Cleo. He knew, sort of, that saying it was like being hugged ought to be a problem. He was way too young to have a girlfriend, but there was an intimacy implied by what Cleo said that ought to be troubling. Al couldn't make it troubling. It was just true; it was what it was.

Cleo grabbed Albus' hand, and they squeezed hands. They both knew that the hand squeeze was an acknowledgement of how strange, and at the same time how good this sharing of minds was.

Once in the dorm room Albus went into his trunk. It was well arranged, and seemed to have lots more room inside than outside. "Aunt Hermione helped me make this trunk so it was a lot bigger inside than outside, but I've worked on it the last few weeks and made it easier to find, and hide, things in it," said Albus. He pulled out a big piece of parchment.

Cleo looked in the trunk. She put her hands into it. She put her head down into it. Then she said, "It is, Al, it is, it's SOMEWHERE ELSE. All the extra room, I can see where it starts being somewhere else. I can SEE it, sort of, the boundary, I think.

"Maybe I can make your trunk like that, if Aunt Hermione shows me how," Al said.

"We're not allowed to have boys in our rooms. The stairs turn into a slide if a boy tries to get into the girls dorm rooms."

"I don't know what they do here," said Al. "Maybe someone else does." As they were walking out of the first year dormitory Al spotted someone he knew and said, "Abraham, this is my friend Cleo, Cleo, this is Abraham Sanford. His dad is the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, has been for years, even taught my mum her last year."

"Thanks for the life history, Al," said Abraham, smiling. "We live close to Al's grandparents, and Al and Rose live in sort of a second home there in the summer and over Christmas, although it is more like a mansion than a summer home."

"It is a nice house," said Al. "Cleo was telling me the boys cannot go into the girls' rooms in Gryffindor. Is it the same here?"

"It's supposed to be," said Abraham, "but from what I understand Slytherin students have not always been very good at following the rules. Why?"

Al looked at Cleo, and she said, "I just said … forget it. I'm in Gryffindor so I really don't care what rules the girls in Slytherin have to follow."

"Well, if you want to know I can find out. My sister Ruth is just a couple of years older, in forth year, and she should know. If she does not, our half-sister Elisa Williamson should know. She was snogging somebody before she graduated."

Abraham turned to go, and then turned back and said, "Oh, Al. Thank you for what you said last night. Several of us have been quietly trying to get rid of the obnoxious pure-blood language and prejudice for a long time.

"Al, there is a meeting of the Slytherin Quidditch team after dinner. Be there!"

"Why?" asked Al. "They don't usually allow first years on the team."

"Just be there, Al, please," said Abraham.

Al took Cleo up to the top of the Astronomy Tower, and as he went he told her as much as he could about making maps. The closer you were to the area you wanted to map the better the map was. "I've just decided to start at the top," Al said, "because it is probably going to be more private. Getting into the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff dorms may be a challenge.

"Take out your wand, and I will show you the spells."

Al unrolled a piece of the mapping paper, and took out his wand. He looked at Cleo, and saw THE WAND. Al, who was never rattled, dropped the mapping paper and his wand. He slowly picked up his wand.

He looked at Cleo, and she at him.

"They said you were the first male who could use this wand," Cleo said.

"It is a female wand, and only wants to be used by a female," said Albus.

"I know," Cleo said. "I've wanted to meet you for a long time, and when I heard that you could handle this wand I just felt, …"

"I felt, when I had this wand," Albus said, "that it would be the best thing in the world to meet the girl who this wand chose." Al did not want to say that he thought he wanted to marry the girl who owned that wand, but he could not hide it.

Cleo grabbed Albus's left hand in her right hand, and then handed Albus her wand. Albus felt the power of the wand, and the power of the witch who owned it. He also felt that together he and Cleo were a lot more than they were alone. Al knew that Cleo was feeling exactly the same thing.

Albus knew that this was way too much, way too soon. He thought this idea to Cleo, and she agreed, a little more reluctantly than Al.

'Soulmates,' Cleo thought.

"Mapping," Al said, as he gave Cleo's wand back to her, and tried to focus on the job at hand. It was almost like he and Cleo were, not engaged, but already married. 'Focus on mapping, focus on mapping,' Albus thought.

'Focus on mapping,' Cleo thought, as she disengaged from Albus' thoughts.

'YES!' Cleo thought. 'She and ALBUS, YES!' The music that always was running through her brain reached a crescendo. The colors went into dimensions that most humans could not see. It was Glorious! 'Focus on the mapping. Focus on the mapping. Cleo forced herself to just live in the present, with Al, and stop thinking about her future, about the rest of her life with HER ALBUS.

To make a good map you had to be reasonably close to the area you were mapping, so Al and Cleo had to trudge through the entire castle, a process that was going to take days or weeks.

Even on this first try they could see a lot of hidden rooms, and at least see dots representing themselves on the map. Al tried to teach Cleo what she had to do with the wand to make the map, and she finally managed to get some of the spell to come through. It was hard work and really advanced magic, but a lot of fun.

That evening the boys ate at the Slytherin table and the girls ate at the Gryffindor table. The boys ate with Abraham Sanford (who was in second year) and John Nott. The girls ate with two of their roommates, Patty Finnigan & Olivia Woods.

After he and Scorpius returned to their common room, Albus was approached by Miles Urquhart, a sixth year, the head of the Slytherin Quidditch team, and Abraham Sanford. The Slytherin team had not been really good for nineteen years, partly because the number of students was small, and partly because they did not seem to be quite playing as a team. They needed a good Seeker, some good Chasers, coaching for the Beaters, and another Beater. The Keeper was OK, but always had too much work to do. Miles was the best of the Chasers.

Abraham Sanford was there; he was a Chaser, although not an outstanding one. He said, "I told you last year that the Weasley and Potter kids were excellent Quidditch players, well, except Rose Weasley. Rose hardly knows how to fly. Whenever they play James Potter is the Seeker on one team and Albus is Seeker on the other team. When I take part in these games, and lots of other people want to take part and do, Al is almost always the other Seeker. He is that good."

"Ya, as good as James," asked Miles of Al.

"No," said Albus. "I'm pretty good, though."

"Practice tomorrow morning after breakfast," said Miles.


	6. CH 5 Quidditch

CH 5 Quidditch

When I have to rip out part of what I wrote, and rewrite parts of several chapters, I know I have a good team of Beta readers. Thank you, Arnel, for this chapter, and to FriendofMolly for previous critiques.

* * *

Sunday morning Miles Urquhart sat next to Albus at breakfast. Miles said, "Thank you for agreeing to be our Seeker this year."

"I have not been chosen yet," Albus said. "Who was your Seeker last year?"

"The last three years Archana Lucy was Seeker, but she was just awful. She never came close to catching the Snitch," Miles said.

"How did she get on the team?" Albus asked. "Who else tried out?"

"Hanley said Prefects run Slytherin," Miles said. "They do. They give us the candidates, and they are all their favorites. I'm sick of losing because we have an awful team."

"After what I said Friday I cannot imagine they will allow me to be on the team," Albus said.

"Figure this is my way of helping your revolt, Potter," Miles said. "I'm Pure-blooded, and am not going to make too many waves, but what they have done to the Quidditch team is pathetic."

"Who else do we have on the team?" Albus asked.

Robert Rosier and Victor Vasey are Chasers. Terrance Teddy is the third Chaser, but he is terrible too."

"Abraham Sanford plays Chaser on the games at our summer house, and he is pretty good." Albus said. "He is never going to play professionally. Has he been asked to try-out?"

"He never will be asked. He's not a Pure-blood fanatic," Miles said. "You and I can ask him, though.

"Tom Gudgeon was a Beater, but he seemed more interested in attacking the opponents with his Beater Bat than playing the game. After a couple of suspensions he is forbidden from being on a broom anywhere near the Quidditch pitch.

"Victor Vasey is the other Beater. He is good enough.

"Giles Bletchley is the Keeper. He is pretty good, but because the other players are not he has way too much work to do."

"All boys?" Albus said. "Except for Lucy."

"Tradition," Miles said. "Lucy is terrible, but at least she is better than a couple of the other people who have tried out the last few years."

"Let's ask Abraham right now," Albus said.

They went over to where Abraham was having breakfast. "Sit down, Sanford," Miles said as Abraham was getting up.

"Hi, Abraham," Albus said.

"Pretty gutsy, Albus, taking on the whole culture of Slytherin," Abraham said.

"Call me Al, "Albus said.

"Call me Abe, then," Abraham said.

"I've seen you play Chaser at the games at the New Burrow," Albus said. "Would you like to play for Slytherin?"

"I'm at least as good as the idiots they have had last year. I guess I could get better with practice," Abe said. "I will never be invited to play. I understand that the Prefects choose all the candidates."

"That is about to change. Be at the Quidditch pitch right after lunch," Miles said. Miles then said to Al, "We still need another Beater, and I don't trust any of the people Tom has suggested. I'm afraid we will have another Gudgeon on our team. Do you have any ideas?"

"Roxanne Weasley is a pretty good Beater, but she is fifth or sixth on the Gryffindor team, and she never gets to play. I could ask her," Albus said.

"Let's do it," Miles said.

It took an hour for Al to find his cousin, but the cousins he met helped, and eventually they tracked her down. Al ran into Cleo once, and they touched minds. Cleo was fully into meeting other people, and they promised to meet later.

"You were looking for me, Al," Roxanne said.

"I understand that you would like to play Beater for a house team at Hogwarts, but so far haven't had much time in the air."

"I'm not likely to get much time this year either," she said.

"I can guarantee you a full Quidditch season," Al said. "All you need to do is play for Slytherin."

"I'm not going to play with Tom Gudgeon," Roxanne said. "He is a bully."

"You would be taking his place," Miles said. "We really need a decent Beater, and from what Al says you are good enough. It's not like we are going to win the league, unless Al is a lot better a Seeker than James, but at least we will not be embarrassing."

"They are both good, but James is a better Seeker, and is pretty fanatical about the game," Roxanne said. "Al, I would really like to play, but not for Slytherin! If I helped you it could cost Gryffindor points. I am really sorry.."

"There has got to be somebody we can get," Al said. "Who else is a good flyer?"

"Patsy Hepplewhite is a good flyer said Miles. "He is a second year. His mother and grandmother teach flying."

"Why has he not been asked?" Al asked.

"He is only in his second year, and he is small," Miles said.

They finally found Patsy. Al had noticed this very small person at the Slytherin table, and he thought it was a girl. Miles looked at Al when they found Patsy, but Al nodded at Miles indicating that Miles should do the talking. Albus did not want to act like he was trying to take over.

Miles said, "Patsy, would you like to play Quidditch this year? We really need another beater."

"Sure, I would love to play," Patsy said. "Is Lucy going to be seeker again? She is not very good."

Miles said, "Albus is going to be our seeker. Abraham Sanford has seen him play. He is almost as good as his brother."

"Count me in." Patsy said.

"I've got this Quidditch pitch game," Miles said. "I guess your brother has one too, and he uses it to show plays. I've never been that successful in working it."

Al said, "I know how to work it. I'm not as good as James, but I can show plays with it. Why don't we bring it out to one of the Slytherin tables in the Great Hall. Maybe some of the other people will join us, and we may even get a new recruit to two."

The boys set up the Quidditch pitch, and Albus started to explain some of what he knew about basic offensive and defensive positions. Gradually the rest of the team members came over to listen, as Al and Miles talked about the strengths and weaknesses of each team member, and how they need to play to compensate.

Shortly before lunch Archana Lucy showed up. "Getting ready for Quidditch, Miles?" she said.

"If it is acceptable to you I would like to have Albus be the Seeker this year," Miles said. "You saw how good his brother was last year, and from what I understand Albus is almost as good."

"Hanley wants to make sure that only Pure-blood wizards are on the team," Archana said. "He even wants Gudgeon back on the team. I don't even want to play if I have to play with that brute."

"Who do we have to choose from?" asked Miles. "I wish we had a list of students in the dorm."

"I have a class list," Albus said. "Does anybody want a copy?"

Everybody did, and Albus made everyone copies, and more copies that people could give to roommates. When she looked at her list of students Archana Lucy shook her head and said, "Tom R. is going to be furious, Potter."

"For having a class list, or for duplicating it?" Albus asked. But Lucy just shook her head.

"You still need another Beater," Lucy said.

"They recruited me," Patsy said. "I'm even pretty much Pure-blooded.."

"You can get away with that?" Lucy asked. "Your grandmother Hooch married a Muggle."

Al said. "We are going to try."

At this point lunch was served, and as they all ate lunch they kept on going over Quidditch strategy.

When lunch was over Tom Hanley swaggered over and said, "LUCY, still our Seeker?"

"I don't think so, Tom," Archana said. "Albus is a much better Seeker than I am, and I'm tired of losing and making a fool of myself."

"WE SAY who can be on the Quidditch team, and we don't allow mouthy filthy Mudbloods on the team," Tom said.

Miles got up and started to yell, "BACK DOWN, YOU ARROGANT BASTARD. SOME OF US WANT TO WIN, OR AT LEAST NOT LOOK LIKE IDIOTS LOSING."

Al sat silently while the other members to the team started to argue with Tom. Finally Professor Ollivander, the Slytherin head of house, came over to the table.

"Prefects pick members of the Quidditch Team," Tom Hanley said.

"It has nothing to do with talent in playing Quidditch, or I never would have been picked as Seeker," Archana Lucy said. "Miles and Albus have picked a better Quidditch team than Tom and his gang."

"Albus as Seeker, Abraham Sanford as another Chaser since Al has seen him play. Patsy Hepplewhite is our second Beater, because we just don't have another candidate, and do not want another thug like Gudgeon," Miles said.

Professor Ollivander said, "Tom, the team has been terrible the last seven years. We have to do something. Let Miles have his way, for now."

No one said anything else. Albus eventually had them playing four on four Quidditch, with Al as a Keeper, one Beater and two Chasers on a side. Even though Terrance Teddy was pretty weak as a Chaser, he still helped in practice.

When practice was over Al thought he really needed a good broom, ideally a really good broom. His parents had purchased James a Student Firebolt Quidditch model, a reasonably expensive broom, when he made Seeker for the Gryffindor team last year. The best broom he could think of was his mother's old Firebolt Special Edition, but he would need to get the Firebolt company to make a number of adjustments to make the broom work for him, and he could not expect his mother to loan him the broom and spend more money on adjusting that broom than the cost of a new broom like his brothers. Al was in Slytherin for a reason; he was capable of scheming with the best of them.

To his mother he wrote;

 _D_ _ear Mother,_

 _I have been made Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team. The team is horrible, but we have a few good players and with work we should have an acceptable team in a year or two. The biggest problem I have is that I need a good broom. I really hate to ask you to pay for another new expensive broom after buying one for James last year. I have not asked you for anything special since I was sorted into Slytherin, but if I could use your Firebolt Special Edition during my student years I would really appreciate it!_

 _I know that the broom needs to have the Firebolt Broom Company adjust the broom for my size and position. If I can get them to make the adjustments free of charge could you please seriously consider loaning me the broom? It would be very special and nothing would make me happier right now._

 _The more students I meet the more I appreciate how lucky I am to have such loving and caring parents. I will understand whatever decision you make._

 _Al_

To the Firebolt Broom Company he wrote;

 _Dear Firebolt Broom Company,_

 _My name is Albus Severus Potter, and I am the second son of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley Potter. I am the first person in the Potter or Weasley families to have been sorted into Slytherin as far as anyone can remember, and am now the Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team. I will probably be playing against my brother James as Seeker for the next six years, a rivalry that should make the Quidditch news._

 _I am trying to get permission to use the Firebolt Special Edition you sold my mother, and that she used so successfully as a chaser for the Harpies. I would appreciate it if you could do my family a favor and adjust the broom for me free of charge. In return if there is anything I can do for you just ask._

 _I know you have been trying to develop a better market for used Firebolt Special Brooms. What better publicity could you have than to have a small eleven year old in a different position use a famous broom from a famous player._

 _If there is anything else you need from me please ask._

 _Albus Severus Potter_

Sunday evening Ginny received and read the letter from Al and showed it to Harry. "I haven't been able to fly since my accident," said Ginny. "If he can get the Firebolt Broom Company to make the adjustments for free there is probably no harm in letting him use the broom. I do feel a little sorry for him not being with his cousins."

Harry looked at Ginny and said, "Al is one gutsy wizard to ask for that broom! Let's see what the Firebolt Broom Company says."

Albus was in Slytherin for a reason, thought Harry. Albus was always a surprise. James, for all his almost exclusive focus on Quidditch, had actually turned out to be a reasonably good student and a nice, easy to raise child. Lily was their wild child. Albus, he was strange. In all honesty Albus was Harry's favorite, the one who would talk to Harry about everything, and who was really interested in everything that Harry or anybody else was doing.

James, now James was maybe Ginny's favorite. Long after Harry was tired of talking about Quidditch, James and Ginny could talk about some obscure part of the game.


	7. CH 6 The First Classes

CH 6 "The First Classes"

* * *

Both Arnel an FriendofMolly helped with and had me make changes in this chapter, and I appreciate both of them.

* * *

The first classes were Monday September 4. Before they left their dorm room Cleo told Rose "I'm going to sit next to Albus." It wasn't so much a point of information as instructions, saying in effect, "Whatever the seating, I'm going to sit next to Albus, and whatever you do, don't mess with it."

Monday morning the students ate at their house tables. About 8:30 Albus and Scorpius walked towards the Gryffindor table, at the same time Rose and Cleo walked towards the Slytherin table. Al and Cleo almost automatically held hands, as they let Rose and Scorpius lead the way.

"Muggle Studies, in the office building," both Rose and Scorpius said. When they were finished they looked suspiciously at each other.

"This way, through a shortcut," Rose said.

"Shortcuts are common in Switzerland, but rare in Britain," Scorpius said.

"MY MOTHER worked on getting this one installed," Rose said.

Albus looked at Cleo and whispered, "A little competitive?"

Cleo loudly whispered back, "Oh, I'd say they are a LOT competitive."

The shortcut started at a corridor on the second floor, and after a passageway about twice as long as it was wide it took a sharp ninety degree turn. It continued on until they could not see out of either end, and then took another ninety degree turn. When they emerged they were in a modest sized modern office building on the closest Muggle road to Hogwarts, about fifteen miles from the castle.

They could see a slight green tint as they crossed over into the middle passage. Al knew the greenish tint did the same thing as Floo Powder did in making it possible to cover long distances. As they passed through into the greenish tinted area Cleo was startled, and she said, "Wooo OH! We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto."

Scorpius, who had seen many of Cleo's collection of movies on CD, said, "Wizard of Oz." Scorpius had no idea how radical a goblin invention the magical CD player was, or that it only worked because CD's had nothing magnetic in them, just tiny totally mechanical pits.

"What wizard?" asked Rose?. "I've never heard of the Wizard of Oz."

"There is a famous wizard you know nothing about?" Scorpius asked.

Rose asked, "How famous is he?"

"He IS famous," Scorpius said. "You don't know everything after all, Weasley."

Meanwhile Cleo had been walking back and forth between the boundary of the passage way and the non-green part of the corridor. Finally she said, "The corridor is not in this world. You can see it. It is, you know there is infrared beyond red and ultraviolet beyond violet. It is almost like there is 'other green,' not the normal green but green sort of up and down and squiggly away from the normal green. It smells and feels different too, like the gravity is odd."

When Cleo mentioned it, Albus could almost feel the difference too. He wished he could see what she was seeing and feel what she was feeling. He did go into her mind, and she willingly let him in. Al could see and feel some of what Cleo was feeling, but he had a feeling that he was missing a lot.

Albus was afraid they were going to be late for class, so he took Cleo's hand again, and they went to the Muggle Studies classroom. Scorpius and Rose sat in the front row, leaving two seats between them for Albus and Cleopatra, who promptly sat down.

Albus looked at Cleo and smiled. He read enough of her mind to realize that she was determined to be next to him. For some reason Al did not have a problem with this. Even in the three days since they had met Albus could see that Cleo was an extraordinary magician.

The Professor stood up and introduced herself. "My name is Peggy Todd, and I will be your Muggle Studies teacher for the next two years. After that there should be enough Muggle Technology in some of your classes that you will gradually become more comfortable in the Muggle world. It is critical to us maintaining secrecy that all of us can pass for Muggles when we are talking to them, or in an area where the Muggle cameras are observing us.

"I was born ninety years ago to Muggle parents, and my late husband was a Muggle. Magi typically live much longer than Muggles, and if you marry a Muggle the odds are great that you will live many years after they die. My children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are all Magi."

When the class material started even Scorpius and Cleopatra found it easy. Their exposure to Muggle movies caused them to be very familiar with most things Muggle, even if they had not always personally experienced it. They were deep in discussion when the class bell rang.

As they were leaving the lesson Rose spotted a computer. "May I do a quick Google search, please," she asked Mrs. Todd.

"Go ahead," Mrs. Todd said.

Rose typed in "Oz" and the results appeared in the screen;

Ozzy Sorbonne

Oz to cups

Ozone

Oz to ml

Oz to lbs.

"We have to go or we will be late for class," Scorpius said. "Al and Cleo have already left. Unless you want to be late."

Rose pulled herself away from the computer. "Who or what is Ozzy Sorbonne?" she asked Mrs. Todd as she was leaving the classroom.

Mrs. Todd laughed. "I'm not sure anyone knows the answer to that one," she said.

Scorpius was pulling Rose along, trying to catch up with Cleo and Al.

After Muggle Studies they had Charms. The teacher, a Professor Urban Umbridge, was a short man with short arms and small hands. He had each student say their name. Again the front row consisted of Rose Weasley, Cleopatra Smith, Albus Potter, and Scorpius Malfoy, and each said their name.

Professor Umbridge just talked about spells, and assigned four inches of homework.

They all ate lunch at the Slytherin table, the larger group of Slytherin students and the four Gryffindors.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was mostly history, although Professor Sanford made it interesting by asking a lot of questions. He also assigned four inches of parchment on one of four, your choice, early evil Magi.

Henry Slughorn was the grandson of the old Potion's Professor Horace Slughorn. He was, surprisingly, a very good History teacher. He announced the first day that there would be few written assignments, but there would be a quick quiz every class to see if everyone had read the assigned material, and one large essay they would have to make progress on every week. He spent the first class talking about the sweep of history, and how Magi and Muggle sometimes knew about each other and co-operated, and then went to war with each other. He mentioned the wars between goblins and Magi, and admitted, "Teaching the Goblin Wars to a goblin wearing the Sword of Gryffindor is going to be a challenge."

"Albus stay a moment," Henry said after class was dismissed.

Rose and Scorpius stumbled over their words as they talked over each other, arguing their way out of the classroom. Albus said, "Library?" They nodded and left. Cleo stayed by Albus.

"Cleopatra?" Professor Slughorn asked.

"Yes, sir," Cleo said.

"Did I ask you to stay?"

"Not exactly, but I was with Albus," Cleo said.

Albus said, "I would rather you let Cleo stay, but she will wait for me outside the classroom if she cannot stay with me. If there is a good reason she should not be here she will go."

"Sit down, both of you," Henry said, not wanting to rise to the implied challenge, or start out on the wrong foot with potentially his most prominent recruit. "My grandfather has had a private gathering of what he considered the most promising students, the Slug Club, during both of his tenure here as teacher. He is getting ready to retire, and has asked me to take over the Slug Club. I've been a member, of course, and as long as he lives my grandfather will be invited to attend meetings.

"Are you interested in joining, Al?"

"I'm not sure how busy we are going to be this year, but if we have the time we would be delighted to join," Al said. He remembered what Professor McGonagall said about currying favor with the Slughorns. "I'm part of a group of Magi that has learned Elvish, all related to some of the most powerful Magi in the world. I think many of them may be here next year, and you could not have a more prominent or well-connected group of students anywhere."

"You will always be welcome to come to the Slug Club events," Henry said.

"WE will try to attend," Albus said, and he led Cleo out of the room.

That night after dinner Henry asked Minerva McGonagall about Albus and Cleopatra. When he had explained the conversation Minerva said, "I think Albus and Cleopatra may very well be the most prominent students you or your grandfather have ever had in your Slug Club, and you might as well think of them as Al and Cleo. They will do some different things, but socially I expect that you will always see them paired."

Henry filed that little tidbit away in his mental file of important people, and shared it with his grandfather as well.

Monday night after dinner the four students met to do their homework. Both Albus and Rose had tablets with all their textbooks, plus the fifty most common reference books. Finding information on the tablet was easy, and the four students found and copied information rather easily. Albus worked with Cleo, and Rose worked with Scorpius, but everybody reviewed everybody else's work.

That night Hermione received an owl from Rose saying, " _I cannot find anything in our reference library or the Hogwarts Library about The Wizard of Oz, or Ozzy Sorbonne_."

Hermione purchased a copy of The Wizard of Oz and sent it to Rose, saying it was totally Muggle fiction. She was rather at a loss trying to figure out how to explain Ozzy Sorbonne and the French band he had been part of. Ozzy was strange even for the world of the Magi.

Tuesday started out the same as Monday, except the lesson after lunch, instead of History, was free. The students took advantage of it to finish their homework.

The final lesson of the day was their first Transfiguration class. The teacher was Tom Appleleaf, and he took command of the class like the experienced teacher he had become.

The classic first lesson had been for years turning a match into a needle. Professor Appleleaf asked if anyone could tell him why they started with this spell. Immediately two hands shot up. Tom said, "All right," to both Rose and Scorpius.

Rose started, "Changing a match into a needle is one of the easiest transformations," but before she could take a breath Scorpius butted in with, "It is also a transformation that is hard to mess up and do something dangerous, like turn a person into something," and immediately Rose said, "You can make something dangerous," and Scorpius added, "But it won't be big and dangerous."

"Stop!" said Professor Appleleaf. "Rose, calm down! I know you are smart. Who are you competing with?" Tom looked at his seating chart. "Scorpius Malfoy. Are you trying to keep up with Rose Weasley?"

Scorpius looked at the teacher, then right at Rose, and said "YES!" Scorpius and Rose glared at each other, so Scorpius added, "It's not that I want Rose to fail. I guess it's all right if we're just the smartest boy and girl in the school."

"Well, that's kind of you, Mr. Malfoy," Rose snidely remarked. There were a number of snickers at this little put down.

Professor Appleleaf started right into the lesson. He had the students read how to do the spell, and then showed everybody the wand movements. When he told the students to start, all the students except Al seemed to be intently waving their wand at the match stick. Al seemed to be explaining something to Scorpius, and Professor Appleleaf said, "Potter, are you such a hot-shot magician that you've already transfigured your matchstick."

Al said in a quiet voice, "Yes, sir," and held up a sewing needle.

Professor Appleleaf went over and said, "Turn it back into a matchstick."

Al turned the needle back into a matchstick, then turned it into a knitting needle, a pin, and then back into a sewing needle. He then said in a very quiet voice, "What do you want me to do now, Professor Appleleaf."

"Five points for Slytherin for being the first one to succeed," Professor Appleleaf said. He whispered to Al, "How many times have you done that?"

"Lots," whispered Al.

"How long have you been practicing with a wand, Al?" asked Tom.

"Am I in trouble?" asked Al.

Professor Appleleaf looked at Al very carefully, shook his head, and pondered the situation. "Go ahead and help other students," he told Albus quietly.

Scorpius had been listening to the exchange. 'I'll tell you more later," said Al. Then he went back to helping Scorpius, who succeeded in turning his matchstick into a needle, and back, just before Rose did the transformation on her own.

Cleo had been riding on Al's mind watching him do the transformation. She was getting a headache. This was a very different kind of magic, and she couldn't make sense of it.

After Rose had transfigured her matchstick Cleo transfigured hers, but it was hard magic. Al then continued to change the matchstick into different kind of needles, and finally Cleo whispered, "Al, stop."

"What is the matter, Cleo?" asked Al.

Al watched as Cleo did the transfiguration. Her colors were difficult, apparently attempting to resolve a well-differentiated spectrum that had nothing to do with the colors in our world. There were lots of lines of association, groupings that could have been gangs of meanings or references of references of references of the history of references, on and on; Al was getting a little sick to his stomach just trying to see what Cleo was seeing.

"Let it rest, Cleo," Al said. "There is a logic to it. We just don't have the logic yet."

Having done the transfiguration, Cleo sat out the rest of the class, her eyes closed. Her head hurt. When class was finished about half of the class had made some progress.

As class was dismissed Professor Appleleaf came over and asked Cleo, "What is the matter, Miss Smith? You were successful in doing the transformations."

Cleo said, "Transformations seem to, well, there are references to meanings that are there because we name things, and without language and naming we couldn't do it, but it's all a jumble, and I cannot begin to figure it out. Plus the colors and music CLASH and I cannot resolve it, and my head hurts."

Professor Appleleaf said, "There is a deep relationship between Transfiguration and language. The subject is way beyond the level taught at Hogwarts, even in the graduate level classes."

Cleo said, "But I SEE the magic, I SEE the things that happen, except in Transfiguration seeing it hurts, and I can NOT make any sense of it."

Tom said, "You cannot just SEE the magic behind transformations."

Cleo said, "But I CAN, I have to see it to do it, so I can SEE it, but I cannot make any sense of what I see."

Professor Appleleaf said, "I will ask my wife, and a few of the other Professors, about this. I don't have any answers."

When they left Al and Cleo talked more about Transfiguration, but neither learned any more. Al knew the magic, which was good, because it was beginning to look like teaching Cleo the magic was going to involve Cleo reading his mind as he was doing it more than her reading about it.

The students finished their homework promptly. Al tried to see if he could find a few people to practice Quidditch, and Rose and Scorpius went to the library for more research. Cleo went to lie down. Her head was still hurting from Transfiguration.

At dinner Rose and Cleo joined Al and Scorpius at the Slytherin table. "How long have you been practicing with a wand?" asked Scorpius.

Al said, "We have a potions room under our house, and right next door there is a big room that Rose's dad and our uncle George use for experiments, and they are both really shielded so no one can tell what is going on down there. By the time I was five I found out that I could practice magic down there, and no one could catch me, no one could tell if I was using a wand or doing something else I should not have been doing."

Rose said, "We used that wand for potion making when we were working with mom. Did you do more with it?"

"I started to help Dad make magical maps when I was five," said Al, "and learned how to magically unlock the drawer where the wand was stored. I've been practicing with it ever since, but only in the basement when no one else was there. Even Rose had no idea."

"Now I see why you were always better than me when we were using the wand making potions," said Rose. "What does your dad know?"

Al said, "I think Dad can't afford to know anything, so as long as no one else knows he has made it sure not to know. Please don't tell anyone else! I hate to have people looking at me like I was something strange or special. I don't want to get in trouble for this."

"How come you are so good, Cleo?" asked Scorpius.

"Cooking," said Cleo. "I used a wand in the kitchen. You've even seen me a few times."

"That's right," said Scorpius. "I never made the connection."

That evening as dinner was finishing James went over to Al and said, "What are you doing, winning points for Slytherin?"

"It's my house," Albus said.

"You are a traitor to Gryffindor and to the family," James said. "You cheated by learning magic before you were old enough. You are cheating!"

"I'm not cheating, James," Albus said. "I'm just a much better wizard than you are."

"You are a cheating, low down, Voldemort," James said. "You're a sneaky little git in a sneaky little house."

Several of the older Slytherin students had risen up and were getting ready to attack James. A number of the Gryffindor students had come over to back up James.

Professor Appleleaf left his seat at the head table and came over to where the two Potter brothers were confronting each other. "The two of you follow me," he said as he led them to a room just off the Great Hall. "Sit. Now tell me why the confrontation."

Al said, "James is upset at me for winning points for Slytherin."

The Professor looked at James, who simmered some under the gaze of both Professor Appleleaf, who he had known since he was a baby, and his little brother. Finally James said, "I guess you are just going to be fighting Gryffindor and all your cousins from now on. Traitor."

"I'm just in a different house, James," Albus said.

"Five points from Gryffindor for making a professor get involved, James," Professor Appleleaf said. "If I find out you are causing your brother more grief, you will lose even more points for Gryffindor. If it gets bad enough to tell your mother and grandmother I'm confident the whole school will hear the Howlers."

Albus went back to the Slytherin table, and convinced the Quidditch team to practice for an hour while they had enough light. He and Scorpius then helped teach the rest of the first year Slytherin students the spells they were having trouble with.

Back in their room at Gryffindor, Cleo listened to the other witches talk about clothes. Rose had put up a wardrobe at the end of her bed. In it she had four dresses of various styles and colors, eight blouses, four skirts and four pairs of trousers, ranging from stylish to rugged outdoor types. Rose had eight pairs of shoes with her, as well, ranging in style from rugged boots to stylish slippers. She had a couple of hats, several scarves, and four different coats.

"I cannot wait until we learn how to change colors, so I can mix and match my outfits," Rose said. "I hate to buy several silk blouses when I can just buy one. What I would really like to do is to be able to change patterns as well."

"Basic color changing should be easy," Patty Finnigan said. "I've seen my mother change clothing colors a lot."

Rose said, "You don't want to change the soles of your shoes red or green. If you have glitter on a blouse you do not want it to change to all one dull color." A couple of Rose's outfits had a lot of detailing on them.

"You have a lot more clothes with you than I have," Hanna McGonagall said.

"What do you have with you?" Rose asked.

The girls spent the next almost two hours going over everyone's clothes, talking about style. Rose seemed very knowledgeable about the latest Muggle and Magi fashions for young girls. She even had the latest issues of _Young Witches Monthly_ , and a couple of issues of an American magazine, _Seventeen_ , and what looked like two years of the British magazine _Shout._

At one point Chloe said, "My mum said I needed at least one pretty dress." Most of Chloe's clothes were pretty basic, rather utilitarian blouses, trousers, and shoes. Rose approved the dress, going on how the colors worked well with her black hair and her complexion.

Patty said, "I'm glad for you that your mother goes clothes shopping with you. My mother just wants to get it over with."

Rose said, "My mum cannot bear to go clothes shopping with me. I always go with Aunt Ginny and my younger cousin Lily. Lily and I like looking at lots of different Magi and Muggle fashions."

Although Cleo was generally quieter when she was with just the girls, she was totally silent during the discussion about clothes, although she did listen. Finally she was asked, "Do you have anything but Hogwarts uniforms?"

"I've grown out of almost everything, and the clothes I have are ugly," Cleo said. She brought out one big, shapeless dress, and a pair of trousers and a blouse that were obviously designed for someone with a much bigger tummy than she had.

Patty Finnigan said, "You are right, Cleo. That's one of the ugliest dresses I've seen in ages."

Olivia Wood said, "Some of the female Quidditch players develop big hips and thighs, and they have flattering dresses. I know the Middy family and other seamstresses can do a better job."

Rose said, "We will have to have you clothes shopping with us over Christmas."

Cleo thought that ANYTHING had to be better than to go back to Fanny's Fat Fashions with Mrs. Malfoy.

Molly and Narcissa met that Monday for lunch. As they were sitting there Narcissa said, "Do you have a good book to explain female sexuality to an eleven-year-old girl? Cleo had her first period the week before we put the children on the Hogwarts Express, and I was not prepared. I don't think my mother did a very good job with me and my sisters, and I really thought I would have a little more time."

"Eleven is a little early," Molly said. "We made sure all the children knew as much as they could as early as they could. I know that by the time Ginny had her first period she was anxious for it, but she was a little late.

"I do have a book, and will send it by owl this afternoon."

"Do you know what houses the children were sorted into?" Narcissa said. "I think Draco knows something, and it is making him mad, but he will not tell me."

"Scorpius and Albus were both sorted into Slytherin, and from what I understand they are becoming friends," Molly said.

"Albus was sorted into Slytherin?" Narcissa asked. "That is a surprise."

"Yes, it is. Albus has always been a very good boy, but he can be very secretive and even sneaky," Molly said. "Both Rose and Cleo were sorted into Gryffindor."

"So Cleo is not in the same house as Scorpius," Narcissa said. "Maybe that is why Draco is so mad, or worried."

"I really do not know much more," Molly said, and the ladies moved on to other topics.

Mike and Mary Hogan were reasonably young Aurors, having joined the department four years ago, after spending an eighth year at Hogwarts. They had just been married a year, and were the couple that were shadowing the Potter family as they drove to King's Cross Station. Harry met with them Monday afternoon.

Mike handed Harry a report, and said, "There were at least ten Muggle women who were looking for Magi families, quietly taking photographs with their Mobiles, and then forwarding them to other phones. They were all over the station, and sometime after the Hogwarts Express left they all filtered into a train. I followed them. They all crowded into one compartment in the train, and shut the door. I used an Extendable Ear and a recorder to record their conversation."

"What do they know?" asked Harry.

"They know that a lot of students come to King's Cross every September first, and take an invisible train, or something, to school. They know the students come back for Christmas, and then go back to school. They know that the students do not come back the first of June, but in the middle of June," Mike said.

Mary said, "They think we are either Aliens, or Magical."

"Have they told anyone else?" Harry asked.

"That is what is so scary," Mike said. "They send the information to someone who is collecting all sorts of evidence for us, and he seems to have two or three levels between the people doing the observing and himself. He is paranoid about memory modification, and it appears that he has several levels of redundant documentation in case anything is magically modified or erased."

"I'm glad Albus had the experience of going through Platform Nine and Three Quarters," Harry said. "We are going to have to have everyone get to the station through Portkeys or the Floo Network or Magical Closets, from many distant locations. Boggarts!"

Harry forwarded all the information that the Hogan's had collected to Kingsley and Hermione, and also to Switzerland. The Department of Paranoia in Switzerland was going to be all over them over this breach of secrecy. Harry was not looking forward to the next few months.


	8. CH 7 Potions, Herbology, and a New Broo

CH 7 "Potions, Herbology, and a New Broom"

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Again some reasonably major changes because of my two faithful Betas. Arnel and FriendofMolly. I have more major rewriting to do, some of it because of reviews. Your reviews do make a difference, and unless they are anonymous I reply to each review.

* * *

Two of the eight classes the first year students were taking were double classes, and for the classes that Al and Cleo were in they were both the same day. Wednesday morning, the class all filed into the dungeon area of Hogwarts Castle. The first year students were taught in a newer classroom close to the original Potions classroom, which was still in use for the older students.

The teacher introduced himself as Dragon Chen. He seemed to be very young. "For centuries the Chinese have been acknowledged to be the BEST at Potions, and as you would suspect we have a new textbook by a Chinese Teacher," Dragon said. The names of the two authors of the book were on the front cover, in Alphabetical order, so of course TT Chang was before Hermione Weasley.

The lesson, a Boil Cure Potion, turned out to be reasonably easy even for Scorpius. Cleo, with her cooking experience, and her instincts for magic, had no problem with it, and Al and Rose had done all the experiments in the book over and over.

As the class was beginning to start to make their potions Albus felt that his mind was being probed. He fingered the ring on his right hand and the probing was stopped by the spells on the ring. He could feel Cleo being probed, and tried to stop it, without much success. Albus felt the probing was almost certainly from Professor Chen, but he didn't have any way of proving it.

To Cleo the probing was like an angry fly continually tormenting her. She was extraordinarily uptight through the entire class.

When the class was over Cleo whispered to Al, "Someone was probing my brain."

"Let's go to the Portrait Room to talk," Al said. The Portrait Room was on the same floor as the Great Hall, and held portraits of most of the people who had been killed in the Battle of Hogwarts and some of other people killed in the long battle against Tom Riddle. Since the portraits had been commissioned sometime after the battle they held only a fraction of the owner's personality, but occasionally they had good advice. The room also had an abundance of comfortable, semi-private seating areas where a couple or small group could go to talk.

Albus found an area where they could talk privately. When they were sitting down Cleo said, "I like it when you are in my mind, but when that other person wanted to be in there I felt like I was being RAPED.

"Well, I don't really know what it would be liked to have your body violated, but he was VIOLATING ME MENTALLY and I DON'T LIKE IT."

Cleo and Al talked for about an hour before going to lunch. After lunch, Al took Cleo into his room. He found the bag with the other ring in his trunk, and he and Cleo sat on his bed as he fished out some instructions. Pointing something out to Cleo, Al said, "There is a ring in this bag. The problem with giving this ring to you is that it assumes we will end up married, if we are not already married. It says that the ring will not feel right if, there is a lot of legal language here, look at this."

Cleo had slipped her hand into the bag, and as soon as she touched the ring in the bag she felt the mate to the ring in the bag on Albus's right hand. Cleo slipped the ring on her right hand as Albus became more and more concerned. "We ought to ask Professor Snape about this," he said. "He may know how we can use these, and if it is safe to have you wear the other ring." Albus put the parchments back in the bag and put it away, without realizing that Cleo had the other ring on her finger.

Cleo thought she could see through Al's eyes better than before. Al may have had reservations, but she had none when it came to Al.

The couple just made it to Herbology in time, where they joined up with Rose and Scorpius again.

After classes were finished Cleo asked Al, "How do you keep track of what day what class is. One week is one way, the next week is different?"

Albus took out the parchment with their daily schedule on it, and showed it to Cleo. "The day that is colored is today," Al said. "Every day a different section is colored, and that colored section is today's schedules."

"They are all colored," Cleo said. "Monday is red, then orange, then yellow, then blue, then green."

Al said, "Today is yellow, but I don't see the other colors."

Cleo said, "Close your eyes, and try to see what I see."

Al did, and he saw all five colors on both weeks.

At dinner Albus found Victoire, and asked her, "How do the class schedules get color coded, so you see what day of the week it is?"

Victoire said, "I don't know, but the class schedules come from Professor McGonagall."

Albus send a message mentally to Cleo, telling her to follow him to see Professor McGonagall after dinner, and to bring her schedule. Cleo acknowledged Al's message, saying she would follow him. So after dinner Albus went up to Professor McGonagall, and Cleo followed.

"May I ask you a question, Professor?" Albus asked.

"Come on up to the table," Professor McGonagall said. Albus and Cleo went up to the head table.

"I only see the color of the day, Professor," Albus said, showing his schedule. "Cleo's schedule is the same, but she sees all the colors."

"All the colors are there," Professor McGonagall said. "I just hide all but the current day's colors."

"I cannot see the hiding," Cleo said. "The parchment is sort of colored. Can you duplicate this on real white paper?"

Al duplicated the schedule on white paper. There were no colors.

"I can add the colors," Professor McGonagall said. She tapped her wand once, and they all could see all the colors. Then she tapped her wand again to hide all but today's color.

"I can see it now, sort of," Cleo said. "Everything but today's schedule has, well, it's sort of like that other green, but it's anti-upwards away from the green in color, but I can see it. I guess that is what is doing the hiding, but I can see through it."

"A color anti-upwards away from green?" asked Professor McGonagall.

Cleo looked at Albus, who said, "Cleo sees magic, sees the world differently, just more, but it is hard to explain."

"Can you explain it?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Not yet, but I should be able to, eventually," Albus said.

"Please do that, and thank you for asking," Professor McGonagall said as she dismissed them.

Albus Severus went to bed worried. He could see a lot more magic, and why it worked, when he was looking at it through Cleo's eyes. It was just exhausting trying to learn such a new and different way of seeing. It didn't help that Cleo was a very intense person. Al prided himself on being very cool, collected, and organized. Cleopatra was almost exactly the opposite, intensely passionate and enthusiastic, extraordinarily talented, and with ways of looking at the world and organizing her knowledge, that were strange at the best, and often bizarre.

Al knew he had promised Professor McGonagall that he would explain what Cleo was seeing to her. Albus was not all that confident that he could explain to himself what Cleo was seeing. Learning how to understand and explain it to others was going to be very difficult.

Al had only known her for a few days, but she was already part of him. He could not imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else. Al thought his parents were soulmates, as were some of the other couples he knew, but what did it mean to be a soulmate when you were both eleven? And he knew, he knew because she told him, but he also knew when they were sharing their bodies most intensely, that Cleo was developing. She wasn't a little girl, and he could see it and feel it, but he was still biologically a little boy.

Was Cleo going to share in his dangerous adventures? She had come to Hogwarts with an Elf shadow as well. Al had kind of resigned himself to his fate, but the thought of losing Cleopatra was more than he could bear. For better or for worse, she was part of him, and he knew that he was part of her.

Cleo looked at the ring on her hand, and thought about Albus Severus Potter. The melodies and colors and directions associated with Albus just about overwhelmed her. She thought she would go crazy, with all the magic they were learning, without Albus there to steady her and help her.

Cleo knew that she should be meeting other people, and she was. But it was hard not sleeping together, not being in the same room at night, knowing that Albus was close, but not close enough.

Thursday started with Muggle Studies again. This time Al thought he could see a lot clearer how Cleo was looking at the green area that was "not in this world," and for the first time he could sort of see it. Seeing through her eyes was getting easier, in one way, but harder in another. Al didn't feel he was just riding on the surface of Cleo's thoughts. They didn't have Charms, which was a relief.

Professor Appleleaf was really good at getting everybody to succeed at spells, and the people who could not do the spell on Tuesday could by the end of class on Thursday. Rose and Scorpius were class helpers, working one on one with students having problems.

With Professor Appleleaf's encouragement Al and Cleo worked on the same simple transformation, Cleo trying to do it without being totally overwhelmed by the experience, and Albus trying to see and understand what Cleo was seeing.

On Wednesday Ginny was contacted by Hudson Harrison, the Firebolt Broom executive who had been at all her matches and done almost all the adjustments to her broom. He wanted to visit and talk to her and Harry, and Ginny immediately agreed to meet that evening. Hudson had the letter from Al, and asked Ginny and Harry if they minded. He knew that the Potters were a little publicity shy, and if they were going to do this Al and James would be featured in advertising.

Harry said, "James has wanted to play professional Quidditch since he was a small child. I assume the publicity would not hurt his chances to be picked up by a professional team."

Hudson agreed and said it would not hurt Al's chances either. Harry and Ginny both rushed to tell Hudson that Al was very firm in not wanting to play professionally. He had a lot of other things he wanted to do. They did not want the broom adjusted under false pretenses. Hudson said that his offer was in no way dependent on Al wanting to go into Quidditch professionally. After some more pleasant discussion and a lot of remembering of past meetings and games Hudson left with Ginny's extremely expensive professional broom.

Thursday at dinner, Al was getting worried. He had not heard from either his parents or the Firebolt Broom Company. He was getting ready to write two more letters when he received a note as dinner was ending from Headmistress McGonagall saying that he had a visitor. When Al went up to the head table, the Headmistress took Al to a small side room, where Hudson Harrison waited for him, his mother's Firebolt in his hand. They spent the next couple of hours with Al flying and Hudson making adjustments to the spells and to the arrangement of things on the broom. Al wanted to know if they could hide what broom it was until the game, and with a special spell the broom looked like a very ordinary Firebolt. When the camouflage came off the broom was going to have both Ginny Weasley Potter and Albus Severus Potter written in gold on it.

Al came back to the Slytherin common room late, after his workout with Hudson Harrison. He was carrying the disguised broom; it looked like a Firebolt Student Edition, still a very good broom. He called the Quidditch team into his room and took off the spells. "I have my mother's Firebolt Special Edition," he said. "This is what a fifteen … thousand … Galleon broom looks like."

"Holy Kneazles!" "Merlin!" "No shit!" "Fantastic!" "Who did you have to kill to get that?" Everybody in the room was stunned by the broom.

"I really am not as good as James," said Al, "Although I will work really hard to get better. At least with this broom if we both see the Snitch at the same time I'll be faster."

The team agreed to a practice schedule that allowed enough time for study, but would get them in shape for the upcoming Quidditch match on October seventh. Al did ask the team, "May Scorpius also practice with us? With work, next summer he may make an acceptable chaser by next year, even if only a reserve."

The team agreed.

Saturday, September eighth, Rose and Scorpius were arguing about something, and they went up to the library to look up something and see who was right. When they left the breakfast table Saturday morning Al and Cleo were left. Al said to Cleo, "Do you want to explore stranger parts of the castle, Cleo?"

"Is it safe?" asked Cleo.

"It's been safe enough since Dad defeated Riddle," said Al. "There are some areas where you do not want to go, but we can avoid them. I want to meet all the people who are here, see everything in person that I can, not just read about it in books. Will you come with me?"

"Oh, Al, may I?" said Cleo. "I'll try to be brave."

"I want to see if we can meet Moaning Myrtle today," said Al.

"Who is Moaning Myrtle?" asked Cleo.

"The ghost who haunts a girls' bathroom," said Al. "Before I go into a girl's bathroom I want you to go in and make sure it is empty. I don't want to get in trouble for going into a girls' bathroom."

Cleo went into the bathroom and called, "Is anyone here?"

"Only me, Moooaning Myrtle," said Moaning Myrtle. "No one wants to meet me."

"Albus Potter wants to meet you," said Cleo. She then peeked out the door and said "Al, it is OK to come in. Moaning Myrtle is here, but otherwise the room is empty."

Albus came into the bathroom. "Hi, Myrtle," said Al looking around.

"You have to be Harry Potter's son," said Myrtle. "You look like him, except you do not have messy hair."

"I try to keep my hair neat," said Albus. "I'm Albus Severus Potter, and this is Cleopatra."

"Why do you want to meet me?" asked Myrtle.

"Well, you ARE one of the more unusual features of the school," said Albus.

"Feature of the school," wailed Myrtle. "Not a beautiful young girl that tragically," at the word 'tragically Myrtle put her hand on her head and tilted her head back in a most dramatic manner, "met her end in this bathroom, but a feature of the school!"

"I didn't mean to insult you, Miss Myrtle," said Al. "I just wanted to meet you and maybe become your friend."

"You meant 'Moaning Myrtle' didn't you," said Myrtle suspiciously.

"No," said Al. "I said Miss Myrtle, and I really hoped that we could become friends, and that you would not feel you needed to be so sad all the time."

"Why 'Miss Myrtle'?" asked Myrtle.

"You are a lot older than we are," said Al, "and I thought you deserved some respect."

"Not ridicule? Everybody else makes fun of me, or is scared," said Myrtle.

"I was a little worried when I came in," said Al, "but I do not think I'm scared now. You look more sad and lonely than scary."

"Are YOU scared of me? BOO," said Myrtle to Cleo.

Cleo jumped back when Myrtle shouted at her, grabbed on to Al's hand, and looked at him.

"It's all right, Cleo," said Al. "She's just a ghost."

Cleo looked at Myrtle and said, "Al was nice to me when other people were not. He is a nice person, Myrtle!"

"But I'm a GHOOOOOOOST," said Myrtle flying around the room.

"You're almost as silly as Nick, the almost headless horseman," said Al, chuckling. At this Cleo began to giggle, although she kept holding on to Al's hand. When Cleo began to giggle Al started to laugh, and before long both of them were laughing.

Myrtle looked at them suspiciously. "Are you laughing at me?" asked Myrtle.

Al stopped laughing and said, "I really think it's your choice, Myrtle. You can laugh with us and become our friend. I'm really laughing at the situation, at me and Cleo and you, not laughing at you. Be our friend."

"I haven't had a friend since I was tragically killed," said Myrtle.

"Then it's about time you had a couple of friends," said Cleo. "Do you have to stay in this bathroom?"

"I'm more visible when I am near water, for some reason," said Myrtle. "I think it has to do with where I was killed. People do not usually see me when I am not near water. Oh, I have seen all sorts of things, but usually I stay here."

"Would you be visible down by the lake?" asked Al.

"I don't know," said Myrtle.

"Let's try," said Al.

"I'll follow you," said Myrtle. So Al and Cleo went out of the girl's bathroom and down to the lake, followed by an almost invisible Myrtle. When they arrived at the lake Myrtle went in the water, and as long as she was hovering over the water or had been in it she was very visible and easy to talk to.

When it was time for lunch Myrtle bid good bye to Al and Cleo and went back to her bathroom. "I think she could be a useful friend," said Al.

"Maybe," said Cleo. "She is a bit of a drama queen, though."

Al looked at Cleo, who was rather dramatic, herself, and Cleo looked back at Al. "Am I a drama queen too?" asked Cleo. "Am I that bad?"

Al giggled. "Well, you are rather excitable and usually excited," he said with a big smile on his face.

"Oh, AL" Cleo remarked sort of slowly and quietly, and she took a breath, and then rapidly and excitedly said, "It's just that Hogwarts is so fantastic. I've spent the last six years at the Malfoys, and it was almost like a prison, and then I climbed on the train, and AL it was like the start of one of the sappy movies, or maybe the middle of one, where things start to go right, and ALL OF A SUDDEN THINGS STARTED TO GO RIGHT, and you offered to help me get into Gryffindor, and I did, and you're my friend, and Rose is my friend, and I have lots of other people I know. I'M HAPPY. I've dreamed all my life about being happy, well I sort of knew I would be, and I was not all that unhappy at Malfoys, but Al, Hogwarts is fantastic!"

They arrived back at the castle just as lunch was starting. Cleo saw her other roommates and waved, and asked, "Do you think Albus Potter and I could join you for lunch?"

Hannah McGonagall waved them over. "Sure," a giggling Hannah said, "As long as Albus does not mind eating at the Gryffindor table surrounded by pretty girls. I'm Hannah McGonagall. Professor McGonagall is my great aunt or something. I met her before I went to Hogwarts. She's a lot nicer when she isn't being headmistress. She's already bawled me out here."

"I've already have lots of pretty cousins," said Al, a great big smile on his face. "I'm comfortable being surrounded by feminine beauty."

At this a couple of the girls giggled.

Hannah said, "Where did you go, Al, Cleo?"

Al said "We were talking to Moaning Myrtle, first in her bathroom, then down by the lake. She's not so bad, a little melodramatic maybe, but all right for a ghost."

One of the other girls looked a little concerned, and said to Al, "Does your mother go around hexing people all the time? My mother said your mother was rather twitchy."

"The only people I can remember my mother hexing were a couple of people from the Department for the Regulation of Underage Magic who were bothering me. She was in a lot of trouble for that, too," said Albus.

The other girl, a very oriental looking girl with short black hair, said, "My mother thinks your mother still does not like her, and she's a little, I'm not sure afraid is the right word. I mean my mother is an Auror, one of the top people in the department, so I guess she's not afraid of much, but she says she'd just as soon not get your mother mad at her again."

"Who are you, and is your mother Ms. Chang?" asked Al.

"Chloe Koizumi, and my mother is Cho Chang," said Chloe. Standing up and striking a fighting pose she said, "I want to grow up and be a fighter like my mother and your father and the other Aurors, except mum says they do not do all that much fighting any more. I guess I'll have to be an International Auror and go where there is danger and excitement. Mum was in Ravenclaw, but I think I'm in Gryffindor because I'm brave and tough."

Al kind of laughed at this display of bravado, and said, "Is that what your mother wants, you to be a brave fighter and all?"

"She wanted me to be in Ravenclaw and get some safe job," said Chloe. "All my family is boring. Even my little sister Cara is boring. All they want is nice safe jobs, to be smart and make money. I'm going to try and be a Beater so I can WACK things. I've already beat up one of the boys who made fun of me."

"Chloe is sort of a fun person to be around," said Hannah, "except we've already gotten in trouble a couple of times."

"I'm much safer with you, Al," said Cleo.

"Your mother is an Auror, Chloe," Al said. "She's one of the supervising Aurors. Being an Auror isn't exactly a safe job."

"She's a supervisor with a desk job," dismissed Chloe. "She doesn't do fun stuff anymore. She does lead raids sometimes. Leading a raid sounds SO exciting! "

Al thought he was going to have to work hard to find out what was going on between Chloe's mother and his mother. Al knew that his mother had a temper, as did Grandma Weasley. James had occasionally been the target of both of them, as had most of the cousins. Al had really worked hard to avoid the wrath of his mother and grandmother, with amazing success, not that he never did anything, but that he was very good at not getting caught. Of course, Lily was always the target of her mother and grandmother, but Lily did stupid things over and over, and was caught over and over.

The rest of weekend Al spent plenty of time with Quidditch practice. The first match was between Gryffindor and Slytherin, and Al was not very confident in the ability of his team to make a good showing. Al did help Cleo with her homework, plus taught her a couple of additional Charms. Cleo was always so happy, so eager to do new things and meet new people, she seldom lacked for something to do, even when Al was busy with Quidditch. Both Al and Cleo reviewed the names of all the people they had met or did things with each evening, and as they did the number of people they knew steadily grew.

Sunday night, both Al and Rose wrote to their parents.

Al wrote,

 _I guess it is all right being in Slytherin. I'm making new friends here. Scorpius and Rose are almost alike, scary alike and scary smart. If they get all the answers on tests they are not satisfied. They both want to know more. Sometimes I think they are not satisfied unless they know more than the teachers._

 _Scorpius had a girl living at his house, a guest, Cleopatra Desiree Smith. I've never met anyone like her. She is almost as good at wand work as I am, and is as smart as they come. She just does magic differently, and it is really strange, but exciting, working with her. She is also the most enthusiast person I have ever met. I think she speaks in exclamation points! She is in the same dorm room as Rose, and the four of us study together._

 _Your loving son,_

 _A.S. Potter_

Ginny read the letter about four times. She had heard about Cleo for years, but had never met her or had anyone describe her. She was going to have to meet this Cleopatra Desiree. She imagined her looking like a young blond little Fleur, or maybe as a cross between a young Fleur and Luna Lovegood. Luna was scary smart, too. Albus was still small for his age, so she would probably be a little girl. Ginny was anxious for the first Quidditch match when she would see the boys.

Ginny then thought about the prophesies, and Albus meeting his soulmate. This Cleopatra was THAT female. It was really scary.

Hermione and Ron also received a letter from Rose.

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _I expect you have heard that Albus was sorted into Slytherin. He is rooming with Scorpius Malfoy. I am rooming with Patty Finnigan and Chloe Chang Koizumi, and also with a girl who has been staying at the Malfoy's, Cleopatra. Cleo and Al seem to have become good friends, and maybe that is why she and I seem to be spending a lot of time with Albus and Scorpius. We have all our classes together. They call us the Auror dorm, and Hanna McGonagall, Christy Shook and Olivia Wood are in our dorm room as well._

 _Cleo is nice, but a little strange. She is so enthusiastic, so excited, she can be a little hard to live with. Albus seems to be able to calm her down a little. Cleo seems to be a little in awe of Albus. He is the best at actually doing magic, although I've been able to do everything so far._

 _Scorpius is always trying to answer questions is class. It's very frustrating! Every time I have my hand up his is up too. He hasn't answered a question wrong yet. Of course I haven't either. Every time I come up with some odd fact he has a different one. Mum, Dad, how do you deal with an insufferable know-it-all like Scorpius?_

 _Rose_

Hermione read the letter, and handed it to Ron. He saw the part about the 'insufferable know-it-all,' and looked at Hermione, and laughed, and laughed, and suddenly said, "NO! NO WAY."

"No what, Ron?" Hermione asked.

"I just realized how I dealt with an insufferable know-it-all. I fell in love and married her. That's SCORPIUS MALFOY she's studying with."

"Scorpius is Al's roommate, dear," Hermione said. "I wouldn't make too much of it."


	9. APDH CH 8 Transfiguration and Scones

CH 8 Transfiguration and Scones

* * *

Tigger is a character from the Christopher Robin books by A.A. Milne. Cleo saw the Disney movie loosely based on the books, and the song is from the movie. Rose had not seen the movie, but Hermione had the books, and Rose read them. Reviewers and my Beta's inspired that part of the chapter; thank you Arnel and FriendofMolly

* * *

Sunday, 10 September, Al taught Cleo the first two charms in the Charms textbook. Cleo could levitate very well, but she did not use any of the words or wand motions that Al used. She just needed to see what Albus did, reading his mind, and then she could do the spell.

"Can you see the lines of power?" Cleo asked Albus as she was levitating. Looking through Cleo's eyes Albus could, and after a little practice he thought he could almost see what Cleo was calling "lines of power."

"I think Professor Umbridge is going to want you to use the wand motions and say the words that are in the book," Albus said.

Cleo had a very hard time controlling her levitation when she used the right wand motions, and had to miniaturize the motions to keep from levitating way too much. She whispered the spell, with almost no wand motion, and had the same problem. She was fine, as long as she could do the spell her way.

The only thing of any importance on Monday, September eleventh, occurred after Transfiguration. Professor Appleleaf wanted to talk to Al and Cleo, and they stayed after class.

"I've noticed that Miss Smith doesn't seem to do the Transfigurations the same way everybody else does, and Mr. Potter, you seem to be very involved in teaching her," Professor Appleleaf said.

Cleo said, "Potions is like cooking, so it's easy. Charms is just seeing the power and making your wand get the power and do what you want it to do. As soon as I can see what Albus is doing I can do it easily.

"Transfiguration is a lot harder. Not harder to do, but harder to understand. I'm not going into a power or direction dimension, but some sort of weird area where language is important, and it makes a difference what we name things, and things, which are real, have a reality in the world of language and names, and it is all tied to what and how you can transfigure. Besides some of the things that refer to things refer to, oh, Al, I cannot explain it."

Albus said, "It is related to Gamp's law. I think if we call something food we can make food transfigurations, but if we don't call it food we cannot. If we are doing magic in another language, and in that language the thing is food, we can do it. It is referential, which is a whole different thing than power."

Professor Appleleaf said, "That is very advanced theory, and my teachers in Switzerland had a hard time explaining it. Do you really have to get into that now?"

Al said, "Cleo can see it, she has to see it. She just cannot explain it."

Cleo said, "That's YOUR JOB, Al. I just DO IT, but it's really, really strange."

Al said, "I could never explain what is in Cleo's brain, but seeing it really helps me understand what is going on magically."

Professor Appleleaf asked, "How do you see what is going on inside Cleo's brain?"

Cleo said, "Oh, I let him in. It is real comforting, really. Someone tried to get into my brain in Potions, and I thought I was being RAPED, mentally, and I don't want ANYONE ELSE messing with my brain, but Albus can ride along on top of my thoughts and even get … I shouldn't say it.

"But it is REALLY GOOD, and I need it to survive Transfiguration."

Professor Appleleaf looked at Albus, who said, "I have some minor skills in Legilimency, but this is a lot more than that. The Sorting Hat said Cleo and I are soulmates, and that has to explain it. We really can almost inhabit each other's mind, and the ability is getting stronger."

Cleo said, "Al is nice and logical, and I need that, I REALLY NEED THAT, because, oh, Professor Appleleaf, there is so much going on here, and I am learning so much, but it is just totally OVERWHELMING, the new colors and distances and directions, the extra-dimensional colors and smells, the depth of the world, and without Al I don't know how I would keep from going CRAZY, but it is REAL GOOD."

Professor Appleleaf asked, "Can you write some of this down, these insights?"

Cleo started to get real agitated, and Al could see Cleo's mind racing about a million different colors and musical scores and harmonies, a much better way to put it than a million different directions, which was too logical, at once.

"Calm down, Cleo," Al said, out loud and mind to mind.

"I think I can write down some of the insights that might be useful," Al said.

"I KNEW it was YOUR JOB, Al," Cleo said, as she was looking at Al with a love and admiration that was so real it was physical. Even Professor Appleleaf could see love so strong that he could just begin to see and sense its presence flowing between Al and Cleo.

"Instead of the usual class assignments, Mr. Potter, I want you and Miss Smith to work on writing down what Cleo is experiencing, and what insights you have, as she does the transfigurations," Professor Appleleaf said.

"We can do that," Al said.

When they came out of class Christy Shook was waiting for them. She asked, "Do you think we could practice after class Tuesday and Thursday? I have a room where we can play."

"I would LOVE to practice?" Cleo said. "Who does your arrangements? I've had to write and arrange parts for organ practice, and I LOVE IT, making all the different voices do different things."

"We have played off sheet music, but none of us ever really arranged music," Christy said. "I don't have any problem if you come up with a new arrangement of a song."

Thursday after dinner Al went up to the head table to talk to Hagrid.

"Hello, Professor Hagrid, my name is Albus Potter," he said.

"Ya looks like your father, Albus," Hagrid said. "When ya comin ta see me?"

"How about half past three tomorrow?" Al asked. "We are free that hour."

"Been looking forward ta getting to know ya," Hagrid said.

Friday after classes Al and Rose went to visit Hagrid. Al brought Scorpius along, and Rose brought Cleo along. Well, that's how it started. Before long Rose and Scorpius were deep in some argument about some incident from the history books, and Al and Cleo were leading the way, Cleo holding on to Al's hand.

"Do you really know Professor Hagrid?" asked Cleo.

"He has been friends of our parents since they were in their first year at Hogwarts," said Al. "He's kinda huge, but he is a very nice person."

Al knocked on the door to Hagrid's house, and said "Professor Hagrid, it's Albus Potter and …"

The door flew open, and Hagrid looked down. "And, you don't say," he said. "There must be a couple of ands wid you. That ain't Rose Weasley holdin your hand."

"Professor, this is Cleopatra, Cleo, this is Professor Hagrid," said Al.

"Call me Hagrid," Hagrid said, "except in class, or up at the castle. I need to be Professor Hagrid up there. But here you can just call me Hagrid. Tea and scones?"

"That would be nice," said Al.

By this time Rose and Scorpius had caught up. Their history argument had become a little heated, and delayed them. Hagrid saw them and frowned. Rose said, "Hello, Professor Hagrid. This is Scorpius Malfoy, and before you say anything, he and I are studying with Al and Cleo, and we all are getting good marks, and are friends.

"Except when Scorpius is being an insufferable know-it-all."

Scorpius said, "WHO is an insufferable know-it-all?"

Albus said, "ROSE, SCORPIUS, stop it!"

Rose threw up her hands, and Scorpius rolled his eyes, but the argument seemed to be over.

"I've heard a couple of stories about you from my father," said Scorpius, "and I suppose there is some truth to them, but sometimes he wants to paint white as black. I'm sorry if he did anything to hurt you."

"Hrumpf, I've heard about you," said Hagrid. "Not like your father, and your grandfather wern't any better. Well, if you are a friend of Al and Rose's, you'd better come in. Tea and scones, anyone."

"Please," they all said. Al and Rose had heard their parents talk about Hagrid's cooking. The scones were as hard as rocks, almost impossible to eat.

"Professor Hagrid, sir," asked Cleo. "Who taught you to cook?"

"Well, to tell da truth, I sorta learned by myself," said Hagrid.

"I can teach you to make scones that are softer than these," said Cleo. "These are really hard, I mean, maybe it's just because we are little, but they are kind of hard to eat."

"You want to teach me?" asked Hagrid.

"If you don't mind, Professor Hagrid, sir, I would love to. I love to cook!"

"N just when were you going to do this, Miss…" Hagrid was searching for Cleo's name.

"Cleopatra, but everybody calls me Cleo," said Cleo. "We could whip up another batch right now, and my friends can learn a little about cooking as well. It's sort of like Potions." Cleo looked at the recipe that Hagrid was using. "Are you making it just like this?" Cleo asked.

"Well, not exactly," said Hagrid. "I beat it more, I mean I figure if beating them a little is good beating it more is better."

"Oh, no! Beating it more changes it a lot! You have to beat it the number of times the receipe says, no more and no less," said Cleo. "You put in the dry ingredients and beat it the number of times it says, and then put in the other ingredients, in the order it says."

"I just always threw them in together," Hagrid said.

They went through the rest of the recipe, with Cleo giving advice. When this batch of scones came out of the oven they were soft and moist, beautiful scones. A little jam on hot scones and everyone, including Hagrid, was enjoying some of the best scones they had ever tasted.

Before they left they had agreed to meet Hagrid every other Friday afternoon, and during many of those meetings Cleo was going to give a cooking lesson and make all of them something to eat

Rose and Cleo went back to Gryffindor Tower, and climbed right up to their dormitory room. Flossie Roberts, one of the girls from the other first year girls' room, was in the room, along with all of the girls in their room. Cleo immediately started into a passionate exposition of their visit to Professor Hagrid.

Rose saw a couple of the other girls start to roll their eyes or otherwise indicate that Cleo was being a little too enthusiastic and pushy. Finally Rose said, "Cleo, calm down. You are like Tigger, bouncing at everybody."

Cleo responded by singing, "The wonderful thing about Tiggers, is Tiggers are wonderful things …"

Rose interjected with, "Cleo, you miss the point of the story. The animals in the Hundred Acre Woods do not like being bounced at all the time."

Cleo looked around, and asked, "Do I bounce at people?"

Every girl in the room except Chloe nodded yes.

Cleo said in a small voice, "I had to be so quiet and careful at the Malfoy Manor. No one wanted me to run or shout or get excited about anything. I thought it was different here."

Hanna said, "You can be excited without being in everyone's face all the time."

Patty said, "We want to hear what you have to say, but say it a little quieter."

Flossie said, "Your room is just a lot noisier than our room."

Patty said, "We all really like you, Cleo. Just maybe a little less of you at times."

Cleo said, "I'm sorry. I'm just the biggest, fattest, loudest. I don't know how to behave. I just didn't have any friends at the Malfoys', and everything is overwhelming."

Christy said, "You are not fat, Cleopatra Smith, just curvy. Most girls our age wish we had hips, had some shape."

Rose said, "You are fine, Cleo. No one is saying they don't like you. Just sometime you at a lower volume would be nice."

"You tell them about Professor Hagrid, Rose," Cleo said. "I'll stay quiet."

Rose said, "Cleo tried to teach Professor Hagrid to make soft, eatable scones instead of the hard as stone ones he had been making. How did you do that, Cleo?"

"He was not following the recipe," Cleo said, trying hard to speak softly and not bounce. "He beat it too much, and that changes the way the flour reacts to the other ingredients. Plus you need to add the ingredients into the mix at the proper time. Once we did that the scones were fine. It's just like Potions, really."

Rose said, "You told us, Cleo, without bouncing at us."

Later that night Cleo and Myrtle talked. It turned out that Cleo could see Myrtle when other students could not. Cleo learned that Myrtle had been watching the confrontation. Myrtle said, "Maybe I should be quieter too."

"You have not always been Moaning Myrtle," Cleo said. "What was your name before you were killed?"

"Myrtle Warren," Myrtle said. "Maybe I can get someone to put 'Myrtle Warren' on my bathroom door. I like talking to you, Cleo. You accept me."

"I like talking to you too, Myrtle Warren. Maybe we both need to stop being drama queens." Cleo said.

It was Friday night, after curfew, and for some reason Albus and Scorpius were the only people in their dorm room. Al took out his wand and said, "This was your father's wand. It is the wand that defeated Tom Riddle." He showed it to Scorpius.

Scorpius waved the wand. He looked at the little gold letters on the handle that said, "Draco Malfoy." He waved it around again, and did a simple Charm with it. He finally said, "I like this better than my wand." He handed Albus his wand.

Albus waved Scorpius's wand, and did a couple of spells with it. Then he said, "Let's trade wands. I will ask my father if it is all right, but this wand is as good as the other one, your father's wand."

Al sent an owl to his father the next time he could. In it he wrote,

 _Dear Father,_

 _When Scorpius and I realized that I had the wand that was his father's we traded. He likes his father's wand better than the almost identical one he has been using, and I really don't see any difference. May I have your permission to trade wands?_

 _I know there is a wand out there that will choose me. We just have not found it yet._

 _A. ._

Harry wrote back,

 _You may trade wands._

 _If a wand chooses you, and I can get it for you, I will. You are an unusual wizard, and we may just have to find an unusual wand for you._

 _Your Father,_

 _Harry Potter._


	10. CH 9 Paranoia, Potions and Progres

CH 9 Paranoia, Potions and Progress with Elves

"I am the (author)" is a direct quote from a student to their professor. If you want the story ask in a review. Arnel and FriendofMolly did their magic on this chapter as well, and I cannot thank them enough.

* * *

Ginny could tell as soon as Harry appeared in the drawing room that he had gone to the exercise room and tried to exercise to exhaustion to get rid of the frustration of the day. Harry plopped down onto a chair.

"Tough day, dear?" Ginny asked.

Harry said, "The Department of Paranoia says that it will take ten to twenty years to get ready to reveal ourselves to the Muggle world, and we need the new King and Queen of the Magi to do it right. They feel that we will lose secrecy in five to ten years, and that it will be a disaster."

Ginny said, "Does that mean we have to stop going to Muggle restaurants, and shut down Dursley, Potter and Weasley, the company making Muggle parts with magic, and just hide?"

"It is not that simple," Harry said. "People who live partly in the Muggle world have to stay there; disappearing suddenly could be as bad as revealing something. Besides we need the money companies selling to Muggles make to do the right thing."

"Are the people in the Department of Paranoia being mean, unreasonable?" Ginny asked.

Harry said, "You will meet them at the Harpies game Saturday. Ms. Robin Ravenclaw and Mr. H. H. Hufflepuff are, as you might guess, direct descendants of two of the founders. They are trying to be reasonable. They are just very frustrated, as am I.

"I think calling the next chief witch and wizard the King and Queen is a very bad idea, and they agree with me. That is just one bad habit we have to change before we are revealed to Muggles."

Ginny said, "Mabel will have dinner ready in about an hour. Meanwhile come here, put your head in my lap, and relax."

Harry went over to the large sofa and put his head on Ginny's lap, and tried to relax. Albus was not the only problem he was going to be confronting.

Professor Chen was rattling on about things he didn't know much about, again. Albus was sure he and Rose knew more than he did. Scorpius had almost certainly read more than the teacher had. Scorpius seemed to spend half his free time, when he was not studying with and arguing with Rose, reading something, anything, to give him some obscure fact that Rose didn't know.

Cleo hadn't read nearly as much, but she had uncanny instincts about how potions should look, smell, and feel. She could also see into some other dimensional world of sight and smell and feel about potions. The more Albus got into Cleo's mind the stranger her world seemed, but the more he was learning about magic.

Cleo seemed totally comfortable knowing that, if she really could not begin to describe what she was seeing and feeling and tasting and smelling and Cleo seemed to have senses that other people didn't have, if she could not describe it, then Al could, and would.

Al thought learning magic was going to be easy, since he knew most of the spells; even most of the seventh year spells. It's just that he didn't know the magic behind the magic. He couldn't see the various dimensions that Cleo could, until now, and seeing the world through her eyes taught him a lot. To describe it, using her insights to teach others, now that was going to be brutally hard, and probably take years and years.

In potions, Al was paired with Cleo, Scorpius with Rose. They always received the best marks because they followed the directions exactly, and besides, Rose and Al had made all the potions when Rose's mother was revising the text book. The problem was that the teacher was very high on Chinese Potion Making, but not all that bright, and did not take the instructions seriously. About three weeks into school, the week after Al and Cleo met Moaning Myrtle; they were supposed to make up a perfume potion.

"Perfumes are potions that you can experiment with," Professor Chen was saying. "This is the first time you get to decide how much of certain substances you put in your potion."

"There are limits, or things could get nasty," Rose said under her breath to Scorpius.

"The instructions tell you what the limits are, and I assume there are good reasons for the limits," Scorpius said quietly to Rose.

"Assume," said Rose dismissively, quietly so just Scorpius heard her.

There were very clear instructions warning not to put too much of several common scents in the perfume, but the teacher did not take the warning seriously. When the teacher said, "What could the harm be if you doubled the amount of Apple Blossoms?" Rose jumped up and yelled, "Please, it will explode and make a horrible smell!"

"That's stupid. How do you know so much? Did you write the text book?" Professor Chen said. At this he put a pile of Apple Blossoms in the cauldron, and it exploded. Rose and Al both said, "Run, get out of the room."

When they were all out of the room Rose said to the professor, "Do you even read the text book?"

Dragon answered "Of course! Did you? How do you know so much?"

Rose said, "See the front of the text." She took out her copy of the text book and pointed to the title page, and said, "Compiled by T.T. Chang and Hermione Granger Weasley. Hermione dedicated the book to, 'My daughter Rose Weasley and nephew Albus Severus Potter, who over the last three years have made all these potions.' I'm the Rose Weasley, Al is my cousin, and Hermione Granger Weasley is my mother."

Professor Chen gave Rose a furious look, dismissed the class, but from then on followed the text book exactly. He did tell Rose and Al to stop raising their hands in class, since he assumed they would know the answers. Scorpius took over and almost always raised his hand, to the great disgust and frustration of Rose.

Saturday the thirtieth of September was a horrible day, and at least at the start of the day Quidditch practice was going to be impossible. "Too windy and rainy," Al said to his friends. "Rose and I know an Elf who is studying here, Martin. I would like to go to the kitchen and Elf area and meet with him."

Scorpius said, "Cleo and I also were raised with a house-elf, Rosa, and she is supposed to be here too."

Al said in Elfish, " _Do you know how to speak Elfish."_

Scorpius said " _I learned Elfish as an infant, as I was learning Magi English_."

Cleo said, " _I started to learn elfish when I came to live with Scorpius at five and a half. It was hard._ It was real hard. Concepts like _all the deferentials, all the who is in charge of who. Who loves (_ amore love, roughly brotherly love) _who and who loves_ (eros, passionate usually sexual, erotica comes from eros) _who, and who loves_ (friendship, what the Greeks call philia) _who, and who loves_ (storge, means affection within a family) _who_. (Cleo actually said four words for love here, affection within a Magi family, affection within an Elf family, and affection of Elves for Magi and of Magi for Elves, in a family context, which is very different that the same things not within a family context), _and who respects who and who owes what to who._

"I'm still trying to learn all of that. And it's real hard when you are talking to someone about love or affection and you mean _amore love_ and they think you mean _eros love_ or _phila love_."

Rose said, "It is almost impossible to translate Elvish to English, or English to Elvish. The deferentials are all different. In English it doesn't matter who he or she is, but you cannot say he or she in Elvish. Even 'he' or 'she' has to indicate if it is an Elf or a Magi speaking, and who they are speaking to, and who is related to whom. It is really frustrating trying to translate."

Al said, "Ready to go?" The four stood up and walked down to the Elf area. As was most often the case, Scorpius and Rose were talking about something academic, and Al and Cleo were talking.

Cleo said, "I didn't know you grew up speaking Elfish? Do you know any other languages?"

Albus said, "I know French real well, because Aunt Fleur is French, and we learned French as little children, and even go to France at least once a summer. Later on Rose and I learned some German and Spanish and Chinese and Korean with other Magi who also were learning Elfish, and the goblins at the factory my dad owns with Uncle Bill and Uncle Dudley taught me some Gobbledygook and a goblin variation of Elfish."

Cleo looked at Al with awe in her eyes, and said in a breathless tone of voice "Oh Al, you are just amazing! I've never met anyone like you!"

Al though that Cleo often talked in exclamation points. There was nothing too subtle about her. He said, "A little _hero worship_?"

Scorpius and Rose laughed at the Elvish expression that Al used, _hero worship_ being the best translation for a funny Elvish expression.

"But you are!" said Cleo.

"Do you like talking to the Elves?" asked Al, trying to change the subject away from himself.

"Oh, house-elves were my friends at the Malfoy house," said Cleo. "I do not know what I would have done without the friendship between Scorpius and the house-elves and me. I love to cook and they let me help make breakfast and dinner, and even use a wand down in the kitchen. I've had a little wand practice since I was five, just like you, but only a little, and just for cooking.

"I could hug the house-elves. I really need human touch," she said, grabbing on to Al's hand with her hands. She then turned to continue to walk down the stairs, but kept holding on to Al's hand and swinging the arm that was holding on to Al. "Grandma Malfoy would kiss me good night, but we could not touch out in public. I do not think anyone was allowed to touch anyone else in that family, and it was so hard."

"You need to meet Grandma Weasley," said Al. "She gives everybody a great big hug when she meets them. My mother and father hug us and kiss us and touch us a lot. They sure hold each other lots! I think they are still madly in love with each other. Sometimes even when we kids are around they kiss, and I don't think they even notice us."

" _Eros …_ " said Cleo, getting red in the face. The Elfish word she was using was rather explicit.

"Yea," said Al, getting red himself. "Sometimes I know they are anxious for us to go to bed. And sometimes we go to Grandma and Grandpa's house so they can be alone, and I am sure it is at least partly for sex."

Scorpius and Rose were a ways ahead, and there was no one else close. Cleo looked and made sure. Then she said, "If you like touch like I do, there has to be something just fantastic about having all your clothes off and touching all of you to all of someone else."

Al did not know how to respond to this remark. He had always been in control, of himself, and with most relationships. He really liked Cleo, but somehow he felt that she was not all that … all that … it was not like he wanted to control her but … but … but he could always put everything into words, and with Cleo that was very hard to do.

Al did know that being with Cleo felt very good indeed. She was way smarter than she gave herself credit for being. She was just so exuberant that she was a little out of control sometimes, and the way she saw the world was both so different and so very much more, more, well, more. So Al did the only thing he knew how to do with Cleo. He held on to her hand, and smiled, and sort of laughed, and kept his mouth shut, and kept walking down the stairs, waiting to see what Cleo would come up with next.

And Cleo, having become aware of what she said, and that maybe she had said too much, maybe way too much, but aware that Al was less shocked than amused, held on to his hand and kept walking. Walking hand in hand with Al felt very good indeed. It felt right! It felt like the very start of a Happily Ever After ending.

When Scorpius and Rose reached the picture that was the normal Magi entrance to the Elf area they waited for Al and Cleo to show up, then tickled the pear and went in. An Elf said, "Can I help you?'

" _We've come to see_ Martin _and_ Rosa _who are studying here,"_ said Al, all but the names in Elfish. " _They are our friends/house-elves we were raised with/family but not blood relatives."_

The Elf went to get someone. Rose said, _"_ Relationships are real hard to translate from Elfish into any other language. ' _Elves we were raised with'_ in particular implies that we are Elves, which we obviously are not, but that particular phrase is used by all the Magi who have learned Elfish to refer to the Elves we grew up with. I hope it is all right to refer to you and Cleo as _friends/house elves we were raised with/family but not blood relatives."_

Martin and Rose came, and the six friends had quite a talk. There were more students than just Martin and Rosa, in fact quite a few more, including about half of the Elves that had been raised with Magi. Hogwarts had by far the most formal and best program for educating Elves, except possibly for the Swiss program. When asked why Martin and Rose took the students outside by another door, one they did not realize existed. Albus had seen his father's map of Hogwarts, but there were obviously parts of the castle, especially parts where the Elves lived, that were not on the map. The students were brought over to the mound and monument where the Elves were buried.

"Your father did this," said Aristotle, who had come along with the students.

"Every Elf in the world knows your father buried Dobby, with tears and with a marker," said Plato, a much younger Elf who seemed to be prominent in the house elf hierarchy.

If they understood the Elfish correctly, Aristotle was the acting head of the Elves, and Plato was heir apparent and second in command; it was hard to talk very long in Elfish without some of the relationships becoming very clear.

It turned out that it was also very important that Minerva McGonagall, as headmistress, had paid for and approved of the monument. Having all the Elves, not just the ones with Magi names, listed was a major change, had never been done, and had changed the magic. It had "broken" something and "allowed" other things and "mandated" still others all very rough English translations of major changes that took place when Harry Potter cried over Dobby and buried him, and then had a monument made and had buried, with Hermione and with other Magi watching, with publicity, the other two Elves killed in the battle of Hogwarts.

Most of the rest of the afternoon the students talked to Martin and Rosa, Aristotle and Plato, and a number of other Elves. Most of the discussion was in Elfish. Aristotle, the Elf Harry had met and worked with after the Battle of Hogwarts, was fairly old. The Elf who was training to take his place was Plato. Both of them gave the four students a little history of what Elves wanted and did not want, and what had been done. The whole question of clothes came up. Albus, Rosa, Scorpius and Cleo were raised with Elves with clothes, and none of them had any idea that house-elves, for centuries, had to wear just a minimum of clothes, not really clothes but rags or towels, and if given clothes they were free but not really free to find a new job, just alone and abandon. The American Compromise to allow Elves to wear rented clothes seemed to be working well, and no one had any great desire to change it, although some of the younger Elves really did want that changed. Change in the clothing law was one thing that would have to wait for the fabled Head Wizard that was rumored to be coming, since without a formal Head Wizard instead of regents some of the ancient laws and spells could not be changed. Al was the only one of the four Magi who really became upset at the "head wizard" problem. Al had a very hard time thinking that waiting for some stupid head wizard made any sense.

Elves did all want to belong to or be associated with some household or institution. They did not want to live on their own. This was deep magic, and the Elves liked it, and liked that they were part of a household. They did want better rules concerning their treatment, including the ability to be taken away from really abusive or really bad owners. Some of this was done at a local level, but nothing internationally, and there were limits to what even a local Ministry of Magic could do without the full approval of the International Confederation of Wizards.

Elves also wanted family ties respected, so mates would not be separated casually, and children could be raised with both parents. There was some progress on these issues in individual ministries, but no approval for any changes from the International Confederation of Wizards.

The Elves who had been raised with other Magi really wanted the Magi they were raised with to be with them. When Albus suggested that they could easily come to Hogwarts the next year all of the Elves who had been raised with Magi thought that was an excellent idea. Since the house with the fewest students was Slytherin Al and Scorpius thought that maybe they could get all the other students to be in Slytherin. That would change the character of Slytherin in a hurry.

About once a month for the rest of the school year the four Hogwarts students met with the Elves. Al and Cleo did take the mapping program down with them the next two times. Some Elves were grateful that Al and Cleo considered this part of Hogwarts part of the castle, and some were a little suspicious of what they were doing.


	11. CH 10 The First Quidditch Match

CH 10 The First Quidditch Match

The brothers face off on the Quidditch Pitch. Minor corrections (for a change) by FriendofMolly and Arnel.

* * *

The first Quidditch game of the season was between Gryffindor and Slytherin, on seven October, 2017, and it seemed like the whole Quidditch world had heard about the two Potter brothers facing off against each other. As Harry and Ginny got ready to go Harry asked, "Where should we sit?"

Ginny said, "Albus is having a hard enough time being in Slytherin. Besides the Gryffindor stands will be full. We'd better sit in the Slytherin stands. Boggarts, I never thought I'd be sitting in THOSE stands."

Harry said, "Al has been a surprise in many ways, and I think he is going to continue to surprise us."

"Harry, do you have any idea what this 'Cleopatra' person looks like?"

Harry replied, "I saw her when they were sorted. I will point her out. I'm not quite sure how to describe her. She looks like a girl, with big hips for a first year. She is dark, more like George and Roxanne's children than our children."

Ginny looked at Harry. "As important as she is I would think you could do a better job of describing her."

"You will see her soon enough," Harry said.

"Boggarts and Bollocks, again," Ginny said.

Harry and Ginny found themselves next to the three Malfoys. Narcissa had insisted that Draco come, even though Scorpius was just a reserve player.

Hamilton Jordon, the oldest of Lee Jordon's three sons, had followed in his father's footsteps, and was the commentator. Al was determined to make a statement, both to reward the Firebolt Broom Company, and to rattle his brother. As Hamilton was announcing the players he started with Gryffindor, then Slytherin. .

"And finally, flying on his mother's Firebolt Special Edition, by far the fastest and most expensive broom any student has ever flown, Albus Severus Potter!"

At the announcement Al took off straight up at a tremendous speed. He had arranged with Roxanne to have fireworks start at about 100 feet, and Al flew out of sight with fireworks streaming out of the brooms tail. Thirty seconds later Harry's Auror phone rang with the URGENT ring. Harry answered, and Jim Shook said, "A dozen wizards and maybe ten times that many Dementors. Cast Patronuses please.

Harry put his wand to his throat and said, "Sonorus." Then with his amplified voice said, "If you can cast a Patronus please do so now. There are Dementors above us." Harry saw Dobedo leave him on his broom and go flying up into the air.

Within ninety seconds the crowd saw Al come down as fast as he flew up, followed by Dementors. There were a large number of Patronuses, and the Dementors fled.

"The attackers have all left, as have the Dementors," Jim Shook said to Harry through his Patronus.. "I am glad you had a couple of us circling above the Quidditch Pitch, though. Elves came flying up to help us, some of them wearing Hogwarts uniforms. I saw some from Switzerland too. They are still flying around guarding the pitch."

Harry saw Dobedo on his broom, hovering just behind and above the Slytherin stands, and Jo and Mo, the Elves that had helped guard them in San Francisco, alongside Dobedo. Frerin and Dis, the Elves charged with guarding Albus and Cleopatra, were hovering over the Gryffindor stands.

Al was on the ground with the rest of the students. Harry again magnified his voice, and said, "The Pitch is guarded, and you can resume the game."

Albus then circle the stadium at a speed and with tight turns that he knew even James could not match, and then lightly set down next to the rest of the team.

Every student and most of the other people on the Slytherin side cheered and screamed. Most of the other people, including Harry and Ginny, sat stunned.

Both teams asked Al what had happened. When the chorus of voices had died down Al said, "I was attacked, but there were plenty of guards, and I was not really in any danger. We have a game to play. I will tell you more later."

There was some grumbling, but then the game started.

The Gryffindor team was clearly the best team. The score was sixty to two hundred when both James and Al spotted the snitch. Abraham had made forty of the sixty points, partly because he knew how the Potters played.

The snitch was at the opposite end of the pitch. James had a small head start, but the winner was going to be determined by the fastest broom, and here Al had the advantage, and ended up getting to the snitch just before his brother.

As Harry and Ginny went over to congratulate both sons they noticed a beaming Hudson Harrison, and several writers and photographers. Hudson was keeping all the reporters back while the entire team congratulated Al. As this was going on Harry saw Albus encourage a reluctant Slytherin team to greet and commiserate with the Gryffindor team.

Hudson had another Firebolt staff member get James Potter to join the group, and there were about half an hour of interviews before Harry and Ginny got a chance to meet their two sons.

Other students were finally allowed on the field. A number of students congratulated Al, and he acknowledged the congratulations, but made sure to praise his teammates as well. He refused to talk about the attack.

Finally a large black girl went over to Al. She was taller and bigger than Al, and she picked him up with a hug, the typical way a larger man would pick his girl's feet off the ground, and gave Al a little kiss.

Ginny looked at the girl who had given Al a kiss. She sure didn't look like what Ginny had imagined. She was a big girl, taller and heavier than Al, almost as dark as George and Angelica's children, and although she was not ugly she was sure awkward looking. It didn't help that the Hogwarts uniform she had on didn't exactly fit. She had the biggest hips Ginny had ever seen on an eleven year old girl that was not in any way obese. Al came over to his parents, holding on to Cleo's hand, and said, "Thank you Mum for letting me use your broom. The Slytherin team was really down, really bad, and it helped. I'd like to introduce you to Rose's roommate, Cleopatra Desiree Smith. Cleo, these are my parents, Harry and Ginny Potter."

Cleo took her wand out of her skirt, waved it over Harry and Ginny, and said to Albus, "Your Dad has magic in the green and clockwise direction, and your Mum has magic in the red and anticlockwise direction. No wonder you are such a powerful Magi." She then looked at Harry and Ginny and said, "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I'm Cleo and Al is the most amazing and fantastic and nicest wizard I have ever met, well, I really haven't met all that many people but he is amazing! You're really THE Harry Potter! Oh My!"

Harry had to laugh. Cleo did speak in exclamation points. "Yes," Harry laughed. "I'm the one and only real Harry Potter." Harry stuck out his hand and shook Cleo's, and said, "Glad to meet you."

Cleo over-enthusiastically shook Harry's hand with both of hers, saying "Oh I'm very very glad to meet you, Mr. Potter, sir, and you too, Mrs. Potter, I'm so glad to meet you." Cleo sort of bowed or curtsied to Ginny, sort of. Cleo was not exactly graceful.

"What color and direction is Al?" asked Harry.

Cleo looked at Al, and then pensively said, "Al is sort of white, like white like a Muggle light thing that has that, what is it Al, not glass and not clear stuff over it?"

"White plastic," Al said. "Translucent plastic."

"I guess. Al's color is translucent that looks like white except it isn't because it is all the colors … No. Well, that's not quite right but it's close, but all the colors are right below or behind and Al can use them, well, that's not right but it's sort of a start, and Al has everything under control, so the colors and directions, because Al is sort of any direction he wants to be, but it's all under control, sort of."

While Cleo was saying this she was moving her hands all over, but very slowly and deliberately, with her fists clenched, really sort of saying "IN CONTROL" with her body.

"And Al can look at magic and even do it any clockwise, although most of it is up or down clockwise, except that really doesn't make any sense either, except it is under control, because Al is really in control, so really the best colors and directions are really in control and not …

"Well, I'm not explaining it very well."

"And what color and direction are you, Cleopatra?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I don't look at myself. I'm just fat. Al, what do you see when you look at me?"

Al said, "Let me project." He opened his mind and looked at Cleo trying to see the colors and directions like she did."

"Oh!" said Cleo. "Am I really that out of control? I see the colors but it's like, all over, everything, real pretty except where it clashes, and lots of family colors, and people colors, and the special music colors, and all the directions you are but …"

While she was saying this Cleo was moving her hands all over, but this time with her fingers splayed out, and just by the way she moved you could tell that Cleo was describing something wild and exciting and right at the edge of being out of control, and you were not sure which side of the "out of control" edge she was on.

Al was standing very still the whole time, looking at Cleo and focusing, as if by looking at her and staying calm he could calm her down and focus her, with a huge smile.

"Al, am I really that out of control. I know sometimes when I get real excited you need to calm me down and we can,

"YOU focus the colors. WOW! I never thought of it that way."

Harry and Ginny looked at Cleo, and then at Al.

Al said, "I'm trying to do a better job of explaining what we are seeing, but it's hard. We don't have the words, the categories, to do it."

Cleo said, "I'M LEARNING ALL THIS MAGIC, and I can do everything, but it's ALL DIFFERENT from how we are being taught. Al is really trying to figure it out. I can't. I just DO it."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, thoroughly confused.

"So what have you two been doing?" asked Ginny, trying to figure out what the relationship was between this strange creature and Albus. The way they were holding hands and touching each other was almost exactly how an old married couple would hold and touch.

Cleo rapidly began, trying very hard not to shout, "We've been mapping the castle, and we met Professor Hagrid, and I taught him to make good scones, I hope anyway, well edible scones. You actually ate those things he made, Mr. Potter?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, remembering Hagrid's scones, and both sort of gagged.

"Oh, and we met Moaning Myrtle, and with Rose and Scorpius we've been studying real hard, and they all have perfect grades on all our tests, but I seem to do magic differently, so I can do everything, but I have one of the professors mad at me, and Al is the best at wand work, really fantastic, and Hogwarts is just like a dream come true, Oh Mr. and Mrs. Potter I hope you liked it here because I think it's …" Cleo had kind of run out of words, and she looked at Harry and Ginny and Al and tried to read the emotions. She finally said in a small voice, "I said too much, didn't I? I'm sorry."

Cleo looked at Albus, and said quietly, "I'm trying not to bounce at people."

"Hogwarts was the first place I ever felt really at home," said Harry. "I'm really glad you like it here."

Cleo kind of whispered, "I like Scorpius Malfoy as a friend, and Grandma Malfoy is a good teacher and tries to be nice. I never really felt at home in their house. But I feel RIGHT AT HOME WITH **AL**!"

"You are a little young to have a boyfriend, Cleo," Ginny said.

Cleo said, "Oh, YES, I'm very young to have found someone so, so, and well it's just so much more than, but, oh Mrs. Potter you are so right. But it's real good."

Ginny looked at Harry, trying to figure out what Cleo meant. Albus was usually reserved, and given to understatement. This Cleo female was very different indeed! Other people were starting to crowd around, and the conversation ended there.

Meanwhile the Malfoys had found Scorpius, and he introduced Rose to his parents. Ron and Hermione came over to the group and Rose introduced Scorpius to her parents. The best way to describe the meeting was awkward. Harry and Ginny came over to the group after talking to Al and Cleo, and Rose introduced Scorpius to them as well.

Harry and Ginny ended up having dinner with a large group of parents, and did not get back home until about eight o'clock. When they finally got home and sat down Ginny looked at Harry and said, "That's Cleopatra? Oh my!"

"Oh my indeed!" said Harry laughing. "Albus has always been so quiet and calculating. What is he doing with that wild creature?"

"If she could teach Hagrid how to cook, she's a marvel," Ginny replied, laughing herself. "Cleopatra and Albus, everything about how they reacted reinforces what the Tapestry implied. I ought to be terrified of the relationship, and in many ways I am. I just cannot make myself believe it is wrong."

"I have to ask Minerva about that foursome," Harry said. What Harry did not say is that the "lines of power" and other things he had found out from the prophets in Switzerland led him to believe that Cleo was the great granddaughter of and heir to the Pirate Witch Queen of the Caribbean, and that there was strong magic at work. And that Albus was right in the middle of it, scarily in the middle of it.

Harry was sure they were going to see a lot more of Cleopatra.

The next day Harry and Jim Shook talked about the attack.

"I wish I knew how the wizards and Dementors knew when to attack Albus," Jim said. "They came just as Albus was climbing. Is there a spy at Hogwarts?"

"It worries me as well," Harry said.

"There was a whole squadron of Elves that flew over from the direction of the Elves graves and monument," Jim said. "There were Hogwarts Elves and Elves from Switzerland. At first I thought we were outnumbered, but not when the Elves came flying in to the rescue."

"We need to talk to Minerva about this," Harry said.

The next day Rose got a letter from her father.

 _Dear Rose,_

 _I thought you knew how many bad things the Malfoy's did during the war against Tom Riddle, Voldemort. Scorpius' Grandfather is in prison for life for what he did, and although Uncle Harry kept Draco out of prison he has never repented. I do not see why you would become friends with such a dark family. Be very careful. He is probably trying to use you for some nasty plot._

 _Your loving father_

Scorpius got a letter from his father

 _Dear Scorpius,_

 _I would be very careful before becoming too friendly with a Weasley, especially the daughter of Hermione Granger. Even if you like her I can not see her father allowing you to become friends. Besides they are shopkeepers, and not refined wizards and witches like the Malfoys, and not the best type of person you should be associating with._

 _Your father_

Of course both Scorpius and Rose had to share the letters. Scorpius shared what had happened with Al, and asked if he knew what to do. Al got Scorpius and Rose together, (Cleo came along, of course), and asked them what they wanted to do. Al brought the group up to McGonagall. The first thing he asked was if they were good students, and if anyone else was better than they were. Professor McGonagall did confirm that they were the best students among the Hogwarts first years. Albus then asked if they were troublemakers. She had to admit that so far they had not caused any problems. Al showed her the two letters, which made her angry.

Al then composed a letter

 _Dear Mr. & Mrs. Malfoy_

 _Dear Mr. & Mrs. Potter_

 _Dear Mr. & Mrs. Weasley,_

 _Your children want you to know that the four of us, Scorpius Malfoy, Albus Potter, Cleopatra Smith, and Rose Weasley, are at the current time both best friends, and are among the best first years students in class. We have also managed to stay out of trouble. We know that there was bad blood between the Malfoy family and the Potter and Weasley families, but we are different. Please let us continue to be best of friends and the best of students._

 _If you do not believe us ask Headmistress McGonagall._

 _Scorpius_

 _Albus_

 _Rose_

There was a note at the bottom of the letter showing that a copy of it was going to Headmistress McGonagall, and they showed the letter to her before sending it.

Al said, "My dad will probably calm down your dad," looking at Rose, "and the madder your dad," looking at Scorpius, "gets the more likely your dad," looking at Rose, "will accept things. But better to have it blow up now than wait until seventh year."

None of the parents answered the letter.

Shortly after the Quidditch game Harry was in Switzerland, looking at the Crystal Ball and trying to see if he could figure out anything more about Albus and Cleopatra. When he was done a reasonably large group of prophets, including a few Elf prophets, wanted Harry to describe Cleo.

Harry asked the Elves, "What do the Elves at the Malfoy Manor say about Cleo?"

One of the Elves said, "She is a very good cook. She is good with smells. She sees as much as an Elf, sometimes much more. Elves see more than Magi, most Magi see more than Muggles."

Harry said, "Cleo examined Ginny and me, and said to Albus, "Your dad has magic in the green and clockwise direction, and your mum has magic in the red and anticlockwise direction. No wonder you are such a powerful Magi.' What does that mean?"

One of the Elves went up to Harry and examined him with a little Elf wand. Then she said, "She has great sight. I would not have said what she said, but I think I understand."

"What does it mean?" Harry asked.

"Do not know. Description only, no meaning," the Elf said. She then said something in Elvish, and there was quite a discussion. Finally she said, "No way to say except in Elvish, and not easy to say even in Elvish. We need to examine the old writings."

Harry said, "Cleo seems to be excited about everything. Albus says she talks in underlines and exclamation points, and from our brief meeting I think Albus is right. I just have not spent much time with her."

Nausicaa Scheria asked Harry, "Could you talk to the Hogwarts teachers about her? We really need to find out more about her."

Harry said, "I will see if I can talk to the Hogwarts teachers."


	12. CH 11 Albus's Wand

CH 11 Albus's Wand

This is the first chapter where you begin to see more clearly the reason for the title of this book. Once again FriendofMolly and Arnel made critical corrections.

* * *

It was Friday the thirteenth of October, and it was going to be the third time Albus, Scorpius, Rose and Cleo visited Hagrid. Both the boys and the girls left their house quarters at about the same time, intending to meet at the main doors before the short walk to Hagrid's cottage.

Rose and Cleo were just a corridor past the entrance to Gryffindor when at least eight of the Slytherin girls grabbed them and pulled them into a room. Dis was immediately there, and several of the girls pulled out their wands and pointed them at the Elf. Dis muttered something under her breath, and almost immediately Frerin and several of the Hogwarts Elves appeared.

"Let the girls go," Dis said.

"House-elves are to obey all witches and wizards," Dorea Cowley said.

"Go, house-elves," Tanya Gudgeon said. "This is none of your business." As she said this she went right up to Dis and put her wand inches away from Dis' face.

One of the girls grabbed Rose's wand. Another tried to grab Cleo's, but when she did the wand burned in her hand, and she dropped it. Cleo put her hand out, and the wand smoothly moved back into her hand. As this was happening everybody started talking and arguing at once. Suddenly Frerin disappeared, and within a couple of minutes of Frerin disappearing Rose and Cleo were let loose and the Slytherin girls fled. The girl who had Rose's wand dropped it on the way out of the room.

"I wonder what that was all about?" Rose asked.

Cleo was getting very mixed messages from Albus. She was anxious to see what had happened to him.

Albus and Scorpius were walking to the main door, and were almost there when a large group of Slytherin boys pushed them into a small room. Two of the boys held Albus, and others took his wand and ran out the door. Al did not know it, but they had broken his wand into four parts and they were going to destroy each of the four parts.

Albus quickly said, " _Accio_ Albus' wand." Accio may have been a fourth year spell, but Albus knew almost all the spells, even most of the seventh year spells, from his sneakily practicing with a wand in the shielded basements of twelve and thirteen Grimmauld Place. A wand came flying into his hand, but it was not his wand. He then said, " _Accio_ attacker's wands." Eight wands came into his hands. At this point Frerin appeared, and then several other Elves. All the attackers fled.

Al looked at the wand in his hand. It was a very old wand, large. Somehow it looked familiar. It felt right! It was the first wand he had ever held that felt like it belonged in his hand.

Albus and Scorpius went back into the hall to wait for the girls.

Albus looked at the wand again. He wanted to see if the wand would levitate a chair, and it went up so fast and far he almost lost control of it. As soon as Al saw what was happening he gained control again. The wand wanted to be used, to be controlled. Albus thought he knew what wand he had, but he didn't want to say anything, so he put it away.

"We were attacked!" Rose exclaimed as they reached the bottom of the stairs. She proceeded to describe the attack.

"I think the attack was a distraction, so that Frerin would leave us and the Slytherin boys could attack us," Albus said thoughtfully.

"Did it work?" Rose asked.

Albus felt the wand in the wand pocket on his slacks. "Not the way they thought it would work," he said. "The less said about this the better. I will talk to the people responsible in my house tonight."

"But they attack you!" Rose said.

"If I report it Slytherin will lose a lot of points, and I will have made a lot of enemies," Albus said.

"I think you have made a lot of enemies already!" Rose exclaimed.

"Those boys who attack us, and the girls who attack Rose and Cleo, were hardly friends," Scorpius said.

Cleo was uncharacteristically quiet. She was trying to make sense of what was in Al's head, but not having much success. Well, Al was usually trying to figure what was going on in her head, and if she couldn't figure it out it was no wonder Albus was having a hard time. She was just going to continue to trust him. The confusion from the attack was covered over by a familiar family color and melody, the one that always comforted her whenever she was with Al.

The friends visited Hagrid. Cleo wanted to show Hagrid more about cooking, but she considered his supply of spices severely lacking. She procured several more spices from the Elves, and then Cleo and Hagrid cooked a good dinner.

Al was approached by Tom Riddle Hanley as soon as he and Scorpius arrived back to their common room. Before Tom could say anything Albus said, "I will give you all back your wands, and not report anything. I can make sure our Elves do not report anything either. I just need to talk, in private, to everyone who attacked either Rose and Cleopatra or Scorpius and me."

Tom R. Hanley rounded up a group of people. Al called and both Frerin and Dis were there.

Dis said, "Not all of the girls are here. We will not start until they are all here."

Frerin said, "One of the boys is missing too."

The Prefects went out to corral the missing people.

When they were all back together Al asked, "Why did you attack us?"

No one answered.

Scorpius repeated Al's question, "Why were Rose and Cleopatra, Albus and I attacked? I don't think he should return the wands until we have some sort of answer."

Tom said, "We don't like you, Potter, or you, you shame on the Malfoy name."

"Where is my wand?" Albus asked.

Two of the boys had pieces of Albus's old wand. They gave them to Albus.

"Where is the rest of my wand?" Albus asked.

Tom Higgy said, "We were going to destroy your wand. I borrowed a wand and destroyed my piece of your wand."

Al asked, "Who told you to destroy my wand?"

Tom R. Hanley looked around at everybody, and no one said anything.

"You need to get to the bottom of this, Al," Scorpius said.

Al whispered to Scorpius, "Let it go. I will tell you more later."

Albus had his list of students, and spent some time identifying each person there. Finally he said, "If we are not attack again I will not report any of you, The Hogwarts Elves know what happened, however. I am sure they will tell if anything happens to us."

Albus gave back the wands, and everybody left. Al knew he had not begun to understand what had happened, and why. There was something about the timing of the attack that left him very unsettled. He really ought to report the attack, but then the subject of the wand would come up, and Albus was not sure he wanted anyone else to take too good a look at the wand in his hand.

Albus looked at the wand again. He thought there was a picture of Albus Dumbledore in the tablet with the fifty books in it, and after a little work he did find a picture of Professor Dumbledore with his wand. It sure looked like the same wand. Albus knew this was the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny.

Albus was reasonably sure his father never intended him to have THIS wand, but his father had never said, "Any wand but the Elder Wand." Maybe, if he hid which wand it was, and kept using it, the wand would so obviously become his wand that he could keep it. Albus felt sneaky. Maybe he did belong in Slytherin. _That explains why it came when I said 'Accio Albus's wand,'_ thought Al. It is, or was, Albus's wand, first Dumbledore's, and then his. It felt like it was, or was going to be, his wand.

The next morning the four friends met after breakfast. Al had them follow him into a small classroom and sealed the room.

Al said, "When my wand was taken, I Summoned my wand. My wand was broken, and it did not come, but this wand came instead."

Everyone had to look at the wand that Al had called. It was thicker than most wands, with a lot of ancient tracing on it. It looked old enough to have belonged to Merlin.

Al said, "I think this is the Elder Wand, Albus Dumbledore's wand. I really do not want anyone to know which wand this is, or to be able to use it."

Rose said, "Are you sure you should keep that wand? Where did it come from?"

Al said, "It came to me when I called, and so the wand feels it is my wand. I am told that the wand chooses the wizard, and this wand choose me. Unless I can find a better wand I am going to keep using it."

Rose said, "Are you going to tell everybody you have the Elder Wand, the Deathstick? I read somewhere that Antioch Peverall actually stole the Elder Wand from Merlin's grave, and invented _The Tale of the Three Brothers_ to hide his theft. There are legends that the Elder Wand is actually the first wand ever made.

"Of course there are other legends that say that magic came from the witches, and that the Elder Wand is only the second wand."

Albus looked at Scorpius, showing him the wand. Scorpius said, "Rose and I have been trying to read some of the oldest history books. Rose may be right. Some of the books say magic came from the witches, or from someone or something that gave it to witches first, and then wizards. The English in the books is old and hard to read, and I do not think anyone has read those books in hundreds of years."

Al said, "I am not going to tell anyone what wand I think this is, but whatever wand it is it came to me, and it feels like it is the right wand for me, and I AM going to keep it. I really ought to disguise the wand, and somehow protect it so no one else can use it."

"It would not hurt to protect all our wands," Rose said. "Especially after yesterday's attack."

Al said, "Do you know the right spells to use?"

"I think I can find the right spell easier by using the Wizard's World Wide Web," Rose said. "Let's go to the modern classrooms."

The four walked through the passageway that led to the modern classrooms. The hallway led to what looked like a modern office building some miles away, connected to the electrical grid and the internet. It had lots of magical meters so students could practice not "leaking" so much magical energy that they would mess up the electronics in the building. There were always some students, raised in totally magical households, that took over a year to be able to sit at a keyboard or use a mobile phone, so the each room in the building had as much magical shielding as could be built. Each computer in the library was in its own shielded room, and the four students went into one of the rooms, which adjusted itself to be big enough for four as they went in.

Cleo and Scorpius had been raised in an old mansion without any electricity, but Ginny Potter had stressed at one home school meeting how important it was to be able to use modern electrical and electronic products, so Scorpius and Cleo had practiced controlling their magic at a classroom building in London. The classroom was in a complex of about four very old factories, all owned by either the Ministry of Magic or the Harry Potter Estates.

Cleo worked hard to control her magic, but in the end she had to stay outside the room with the computer because the electricity and electronics did not work properly.

Rose found a series of spells that would cause anyone other than the rightful owner of a wand to feel some sensation when picking up a wand. The spells ranged from a slight tingling to intense pain. All could be reversed. They practiced on all the wands. It was interesting to all of them that the wand that Scorpius had, the one that had belonged to his father, did respond to the spells. It was now obviously his wand, the right wand for Scorpius.

The spells also worked perfectly for Al's wand. Al was very nervous about the wand. There was something very strange about how he had come to possess it, but obviously the wand wanted him to be its master, since the spells worked so well. In the end Rose and Scorpius had spells on their wands that would let someone else use the wand, but there would be a tingling. Cleo's wand had always been hard for anyone but Cleo to use, and it was even harder for Rose to use it. Scorpius could not even touch it, but Al still had no problem using it. Al had a reasonably powerful spell on his wand. Rose or Scorpius could use it, but it really hurt. Cleo seemed to be able to use it without any pain at all, but when Rose had Cleo try to take it without Al's permission she could not make herself touch it. That was a sign to Rose and Scorpius of the bond developing between Al and Cleo.

Al and Rose found a spell that would make the wand look sort of like one of the wands that Al had been using, smaller than the wand actually was, and without the unique balls that were on the wand. For some reason the wand looked so natural in Al's hand that no one looked at it all that closely, almost like the wand wanted to be used by Al without drawing any attention to itself.

The next time they were alone together Al showed Cleo the Elder Wand. She touched it, and said, "This wand is as masculine as mine is feminine. I do not think most females would want to use it." She waved it around and stars came out of the end, just like she intended. She gave Al her wand, and they reasonably quickly gave each other back their own wand.

"You have permission to use my wand if you have to, without defeating me," Albus said.

"You have permission to use my wand, if you have to," Cleo said.

The wands glowed.

Al had always been good with wand work, but with the new wand he was exceptional. Every wand spell was easy, and most of them could be done silently with only a little practice. He also felt like the wand was teaching him how to modify spells to do more than he was being taught. Once he had mastered a spell he could touch Cleo or Scorpius's wand and lead them through hard spells and they could usually learn them. Rose almost never needed Al's help, and did not want to admit she ever needed it. She wanted to learn everything on her own. There were a couple of extensions of spells, however, that she could not master without Al's help. Even without the wand the four students were exceptional, but Al's wand certainly took them to another level.


	13. CH 12 Harry Investigates

CH 12 Harry Investigates

The story will not ignore Harry, who has to try and figure out what is going on at Hogwarts. He learns of dramatic changes at home as well. Thank you to Arnel for some key edits.

* * *

It was Monday, the sixteenth of October, just over a week after the Quidditch game and the attack. Harry had done everything he could to investigate the attack without spending a lot of time at Hogwarts. After talking to Kingsley, Hermione, Arthur Weasley and Dennis Creevey, it was decided that Harry really needed to personally take the lead in this case. So mid-morning Harry met with Minerva McGonagall.

"Minerva," Harry said, "I am trying to find out who knew when the Quidditch game would start, and who knew Albus would fly up like that so the Dementors could attack."

Minerva said, "Harry, that was probably the best publicized Quidditch game in the history of Hogwarts. After Albus' catch, with your sons playing against each other, I expect the same sort of publicity every year. I even expect reporters here when only one of them is playing."

"I need to talk to the other professors about Cleopatra, and maybe I can find out more than I am asking," Harry said. "Sometimes it is amazing what people will volunteer if you do not make enemies out of them, and by asking about Cleopatra maybe I can learn the Professors' attitude about Albus as well."

Minerva said, "There is something very strange about Cleopatra. Tom Appleleaf says she does Transfigurations differently than anyone else. Albus is trying to figure out what is going on. Albus has some insight into how her mind works. He has not been able to tell Professor Appleleaf much so far, however.

"Albus asked to talk to me, because Cleopatra seems to be able to see through some invisibility spells. When I charm class schedules I color code them, and then hide the color on all but the current day of the week. Cleo can see all the colors. On parchment she cannot tell what is not hidden, but on white paper she sees some sort of 'other green' over the hidden colors."

"Her descriptions of what she sees are just bizarre," Harry said. "I would say she is crazy, except when I asked an Elf Prophet about her description of me she sort of understood it. We are dealing with strange things here."

"Sometimes our strangest students are some of our most powerful Magi," Minerva said. "Think Luna Lovegood."

"What is your impression of Scorpius?" Harry asked.

"From what I see, he is desperate to prove he is not like his father and grandfather," Minerva said. "He and Rose spend more time in the library than any other first year students. I think everyone at Hogwarts knows who that foursome is."

"Anything else?" Harry asked.

"There was some sort of confrontation last Friday," Minerva said. "Your son, Albus, does not want anyone to talk about it, and I am pretty sure that they think I don't know about it. Hogwarts castle has eyes, Harry. The paintings see much more than the students realize, and I learn about most of what I have to know. Not everything, unfortunately. The ghosts also help. But the Slytherin ghosts and some of the paintings are most unhelpful."

Harry turned to the painting of Dumbledore, and asked, "Albus, is that your doing?"

"Professor Snape had more to do with it than I did," Albus Dumbledore said. "You might ask him."

Harry had fiercely defended Severus Snape over the previous nineteen years, but it was not all that natural talking to him. He said, "Professor Snape, thank you for all your help. What more do you have to tell me?"

Snape said, "Albus was in this office the evening of the first of September, and it looked like he knew most of the spells he is going to have to learn. He duplicated a list of the students in Slytherin on parchment and paper. He was a little embarrassed that he did not know all the seventh year spells. Just how long has he been using a wand?"

"Since he was five, but only in the hidden and shielded rooms under the adjoining Potter and Ron Weasley houses," Harry said. "He has been the target of attacks, and the subject of prophesies. I did not feel I could keep him from learning magic. Officially, I did not know about it. I guess Ginny and I taught him to be sneaky by letting him practice magic in secret."

Snape asked, "Did the Sorting Hat offer to put you in Slytherin?"

Harry answered, "It did, but I did not want to be in Slytherin."

Snape sort of snorted. "You are not as pure as some people portray you, Potter. How is Li… Ginny doing. She always reminded me of your mother."

"As passionate as ever," Harry said, a crooked grin spreading all over his face. "I do not know what I did to earn the love of that brave and passionate woman."

"Is she still talking about having another child?" Minerva asked.

"I think she is pregnant," Harry replied. "She just hasn't told me yet."

"You are a very lucky man, Harry," Snape said. "I never knew that kind of love. Maybe in the afterlife I am Severus Snape, Virgin and Martyr."

Now it was Harry's turn to snort. He had been to the Wizard Church in London, St. Merlin and Mungo's, for just under half the Saturday night services since being introduced to the Wizarding branch of Christianity. He could not imagine Severus Snape in the company of most of the pious women called Virgin and Martyrs.

"Albus Dumbledore said you were responsible for the castle spying on students," Harry said. "May I ask why?"

Snape said, "To protect all the students, but especially Albus. You can probably get more information from Myrtle Warren, Moaning Myrtle. She and Cleopatra talk regularly."

It was mid-morning when Harry was finished talking to the three heads of Hogwarts and Professor McGonagall had given him a master class schedule, so he could find out when each teacher was free. All were going to be busy until the next hour, so he went to see if he could find Moaning Myrtle. He went to Myrtle's bathroom, and knocked on the door. "Is anyone there?" Harry asked.

"Just me, Myrtle Warren," Myrtle said. "Please come in."

Harry went into the girls' bathroom, and saw Myrtle sitting calmly on a sink. She said, "Hello, Harry Potter. It is good to see you again. Your son, Albus, looks very much like you, except he has learned how to comb his hair. He doesn't wear glasses either."

"You are not Moaning Myrtle anymore?" Harry asked.

"Cleopatra convinced me that I could have friends and visitors, if I would just act nicely," Myrtle said. "She keeps bringing people here to meet me, mostly girls, but some boys. It is real nice, actually.

"If Cleopatra keeps introducing me to people I will end up with more friends than I had when I was alive."

Harry said, "Professor McGonagall said that the ghosts are trying to help see what is going on around the castle, and are telling her."

"Most of the ghosts are trying to help," Myrtle said. "I doubt we know more than what we have told her. I know the Ravenclaw ghosts, Helena Ravenclaw and I, are trying to help. Sir Nicholas tries to help as well. We are trying to enlist his second for Gryffindor, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore, but the two Gryffindor ghosts do not get along.

"Friar Tuck and his mistress, Mother Ursula, the Hufflepuff ghosts, help, as do Mother Ursula's nuns."

"How did the nuns get to be ghosts?" asked Harry.

"By doing for the Merry Men what Mother Ursula did for Friar Tuck," Myrtle said, a twinkle in her eye. "Why did you think the Merry Men were so merry?"

"Are Friar Tuck and his mistress, are the nuns, still intimate?" Harry asked.

"You cannot even take off your clothes when you are a ghost," Myrtle said. "If you die a virgin you stay a virgin. Boggarts!"

"Is there more than one ghost for Slytherin?" Harry asked.

"Nasty, uncooperative spirits," Myrtle said. "The Bloody Baron is almost impossible to talk to. His second, the murderous and murdered second son Scorpius Hyperon Malfoy, has been just as impossible, I have been told, since his death about two hundred years ago."

"Scorpius was named after an ancestor who was murdered?" Harry asked.

"I am the youngest of the ghosts," Myrtle said. "I do not know all the history. Ask Professor Binns. He still haunts the history classroom, sulking because he is not still boring students. He has not been any help either."

"Thank you for your help, Miss Myrtle Warren," Harry said. "I like Myrtle Warren better than I ever liked Moaning Myrtle."

"You are welcome, Harry. Oh, Cleopatra has learned how to see me even if I am not near water. We talk late at night a couple of times a week."

"Does Cleo see the other ghosts?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Myrtle said. "If we see anything you need to know I will make sure both the headmistress and Cleo know. Anything Cleo knows she tries to tell Albus, so he should know as well."

Harry tried to talk to Professor Binns about the first Scorpius Malfoy, but Professor Binns was in a bad mood and would not talk to Harry.

Harry then went to see the other teachers. It took parts of three days, but he was able to talk to all the teachers who had Albus and Cleopatra in class.

Harry spent part of one day at Azkaban, the British Magi prison. Zeek Zeller, the warden, thought he had information that Harry needed to know. "Astoria Malfoy visits with Lucius alone quite often, and from the conversations we are sure that no one else in the family knows."

Harry asked, "Do you have another recording?"

Zeek said, "These are the latest recordings. Weasley Wizard Wheezes continues to refine the combination of their Extendable Ears with the Muggle recorders to allow us to record every interview. We have them all archived both here and at the Ministry."

Harry and Zeek could hear Lucius Malfoy being led into a room, and his legs and body being fastened to a chair with magic chains. Then Astoria was led into the room.

Lucius said, "Do you have any useful information this time?"

"Dementors tried to attack Albus," Astoria said. "He was Seeker for Slytherin, and flew way up, and was attacked by Dementors."

"And they failed. I guessed that," Lucius said.

"Cleopatra is becoming very good friends with Albus," Astoria said. "At least I saw them together at the Quidditch game."

"Then STOP THEM FROM SEEING EACH OTHER," Lucius shouted.

"I cannot talk that wife of yours, or Draco, from sending them to Hogwarts," Astoria said. "We do not have anything to do with who they are friends with when they are at Hogwarts."

"Have you tried to seduce Draco?" Lucius said. "I still say that you have not used your womanly powers on Draco. He is weak, too weak to have forced himself on you. He would be putty in your hands if you used your body."

"I let him into my body enough to be married, and to have your grandchild," Astoria said. "You are one of the people who has taught me to be selfish. I needed to let him use me, but I never loved him, and I will not act like I enjoy that physical violation of MY body."

"What are you learning from Scorpius?" Lucius asked.

"Nothing," Astoria said. "I write to him every week asking how he is doing, and he always sends me a one word answer back, "Fine."

"You should have taught him our ways, and instead you left him to be nursed and taught by that traitor of a wife of mine," Lucius said.

Astoria said, "He was in my body for nine months, after I let his father use me so you would have an heir. There was no reason for me to have him sucking at my body for more months. Aristocratic ladies get wet nurses. I was embarrassed that Narcissa lowered herself to nurse him. Ugly plebian thing to do."

"I don't know why I pay you for information," Lucius said.

"Because that is what we agreed to years ago, and as long as I meet privately with you the money comes in," Astoria said. "I am doing what I have to do."

Harry said, "We have heard a variation of that for years. It almost sounds like Lucius knew of the Dementor attack. The only new information he has is that Cleo and Albus are becoming friends."

"Here is a recording from Narcissa visiting Lucius," Zeek said.

Again they could hear Lucius being led into the room, and the chains put on.

Lucius said, "Hello, Narcissa. Do you have any useful information for me?"

Narcissa said, "I am not sure how any information I have would be useful to you in prison, Lucius. Scorpius was sorted into Slytherin, as was Albus Potter. They are friends. Scorpius seems to be doing very well in school, and is happy."

"How is Cleopatra?" Lucius asked. "Has she stayed best friends with Scorpius?"

Narcissa said, "Cleopatra was sorted into Gryffindor. She and Rose Weasley are close."

Lucius said, "Cleo and Scorpius are in different houses? Not good. I am not happy with the way you educated them, and having them in different houses is not a good development either."

There was a long period of silence. Finally Narcissa said, "It is lonely in the house without the children there. I still wish we had a larger family."

"I have an heir, and he has one," Lucius said. "That is what is important."

"There is more to family, to a marriage, than producing an heir," Narcissa said. "I thought you knew that early in our marriage, but maybe I was wrong."

"Too many children divide the family assets," Lucius said. "You were happy with our wealth when we were first married."

"I think I was happiest when you were just learning about the family businesses, and we were living in the littlest apartment in the upper floor," Narcissa said. "We made love often, without feeling that the only reason we did it was to produce an heir. I miss that closeness. It had almost totally left when you first became enamored with Voldemort instead of me."

There was another long period of silence. Finally Narcissa said, "I still miss you, Lucius."

"I miss the life we had," Lucius said. "I planned on spending my days in Malfoy Manor, with us a respected couple. That Potter ruined everything."

Narcissa said no more, and the two listeners could hear her leave.

There was one more meeting, with Draco. When Draco came into the room they could hear him say, "Hello, Father."

Lucius said, "Draco."

Draco said, "The family assets are still growing, Father. Rents are slowly going up on the properties we own in Diagon Alley and elsewhere. All the shops we are silent partners with are profitable. Let me show you the figures."

They could hear some rustling of paper.

Finally Lucius scoffed, "I could make more money that this! You are not all that good with the family investments." Lucius whispered, "You are trying to be too honest."

They could hear the papers being put away. Lucius was not allowed to keep anything.

Lucius said, "Sending Scorpius and Cleopatra to Hogwarts was a bad idea. If you want to honor me, make sure they marry as soon as they are biologically able. I've told you that."

After a period of silence Draco said, "I will have another report on the finances next quarter, father." Draco left.

"I think Lucius knows more than he should," Harry said. "There is evil in that family. I think I trust Narcissa, but not Astoria or Draco."

Zeek said, "I don't like or trust Astoria. I am not sure about Draco."

Wednesday, Ginny spent most of the day interviewing Quidditch players and coaches, including a dinner meeting. Harry knew she was going to spend the evening working on her article, so he used the time to eat dinner at Hogwarts, at the Professors table up front, and then meet with Albus, Rose, Cleo and Scorpius after dinner.

After going to a private room with the students, Harry asked them, "Do you have any idea why Albus was attacked at the Quidditch match?"

No one answered at first, but finally Albus said, "I do not get the feeling that the attack originated here."

"What was the attack last Friday about?" Harry asked.

The other children looked at Albus, who spent a moment composing an answer. He then said, "I think the attack on the girls was a diversion, so Frerin would not be shadowing me, and the boys wanted my wand, wanted to break my wand. The attack didn't work out like they wanted it to. I took eight of their wands. I gave them back their wands later that night, after we had a good dinner with Hagrid."

Rose said, "Some girls from Slytherin attack us, but after just a little while they all ran away. They could not take Cleo's wand, and they dropped my wand when they ran away."

Scorpius said, "They did not seem interested in my wand. I do not know what they would have done had they won."

Harry and the students talked for about an hour, but Harry felt he really did not have much additional information. He did talk to Cleo about Myrtle Warren, but she really did not have any more information, although the ghosts were aware that there were people who did not like Albus.

Ginny was pretty sure she was pregnant. Her bust was beginning to grow. Ginny really didn't get sick during her pregnancies, but food tasted a little differently. Thursday of the same week, she brought Lily Luna to the New Burrow for lessons, and Fleur was there, so she asked Fleur, privately, "Could you do a quick pregnancy exam, please."

Fleur waved her wand over Ginny, paying special attention to her reproductive organs. Then she asked, "Do you want to have another baby?"

"I am having a very hard time thinking that all my children will be off at Hogwarts," Ginny said. "I'll still only have half as many children as Mum."

"It looks like you might be two months along," Fleur said. "It is probably time to let other people know. If you keep adding to your bust most of the witches will guess."

"I cannot complain," Ginny said. "I told everybody that when my Quidditch career was over I was going to make lots of pretty babies with Harry. Three is not exactly a lot."

Fleur got a reflective look on her face, almost longing, and said, "Veela enjoy everything about being female. Being pregnant is a joy, not a bother, and even giving birth is not so hard. Nursing is a great joy. Sex when pregnant is very special.

"Three is not exactly a lot. Four is not too many. I do not know. I still could have another one."

Ginny and Fleur talked more about babies, and having more children, before they parted for the day.

Ginny had a regular appointment late morning with the healer checking her problems as a result of her Quidditch brain injury. After the appointment she had a little time, so she went to see her midwife. While she was there she saw a pamphlet for a potion that you could take to increase the size of your bust if you were pregnant. "In most cases you will not lose all your extra size after you stop nursing," the pamphlet said, and, "Results vary."

Ginny never could lose all the extra pounds she put on when she was pregnant with her first three, and almost none of the weight went to her bust. Another size on top couldn't hurt, she thought, and in addition to the pregnancy potions she purchased four of the potions to increase her size on top. "Ideal to add one size," the instructions said, and, "Results vary and are not guaranteed."

Harry Potter walked into the kitchen through the fireplace about a quarter past five that evening like he did most days after work. He was a morning person, and by going in early he usually was able to leave more or less on time, even though he had been the head of the Auror Department for many years. As he walked into the kitchen he saw Ginny staring at the calendar.

"A month before the boys are back for Christmas break," said Harry. "You do miss them when they are gone."

Ginny replied, "I miss being their mother. I was not ready to be a full time mother until we had James, and feel a little sorry that Teddy had to be raised by a group of us and not by us, you and me, but I really was too young. I've told you since Al left that I really did not know what I wanted. If I wanted another baby."

"I love you, Ginny, have for most of my life. I am ready for anything you decide," said Harry.

Ginny went up to Harry and hugged him hard, putting her chest firmly into him. She looked up and kissed him, and they passionately kissed. Then she put her head against Harry's chest and said, "Of the five of us only Hermione has made sure she cannot have any more babies. Angelina says that sometimes George and her talk about having a pair for Fred, and Fleur says she's still young enough. We have no idea what Audrey thinks, but if she started on birth control she is probably still taking the same potions. And I never really decided anything except that after having the babies, after being pregnant or nursing for almost six years, I needed a break."

Ginny looked up at Harry, who had an amused look on his face. Harry was rather curious to see where this was going.

"The birth control potions are really easy to take," said Ginny. "You take one a week for three weeks after your period, and then wait until your next one. I always took them on Sunday, usually in the morning. They usually work even if you only take two some months. Remember about ten weeks ago the Harpies did an exhibition game in North American, and I didn't get back until the next morning. Sunday, when I finally came home, I was so tired that I forgot the potion. The next weekend we were in China, and I forgot. The next week I thought that I needed to wait for my period, but it never came. I went to St. Mungo's today and saw the healers. I needed to, well you know my head hurts sometimes, and they are watching me for memory problems because of my accident. My head is doing all right, well the memory isn't any worse, but my body is changing, and Harry, I'm eight weeks pregnant. I didn't really decide to have another baby, exactly, but, are you ready? It's only eight weeks, but I think it is what I want. I enjoyed most of my pregnancies, and I really like nursing.

Harry said, "I can't think of anything sexier than a nursing mother, or more beautiful."

"You're ready for more babies?" asked Ginny.

"Even more babies, and getting up in the middle of the night to change them and bring them to you so you can nurse them, and not being able to travel quite as freely. It's amazing how much stuff you have to bring along when you are traveling with a baby. If that's what you want then that's what I want, Love. I mean it interferes a little with our sex life, but how can you say it interferes with our love life, when the product of our love is as real as James, or Al, or Lily. You know I love babies, and children, and having a loving family. "

"That is really good news," exclaimed Ginny

Harry gave Ginny a really big kiss and hug, said enthusiastically, "That's great news! That's wonderful! I love you so much!"

The couple went up to the sitting room, and sat down on either side of a love seat. As soon as they sat down, like magic, (which it was,) there was a drink on the table at each end of the love seat, a large glass of cold tea for Harry, a hot chocolate for Ginny.

Harry said, "Speaking of children, I have finished interviewing the Hogwarts Professors who have Albus and Cleo in their classes.

"Henry Slughorn, the history professor, and Peggy Todd, the Muggle Studies professor, really do not have much to say. All four, Al and Rose, Scorpius and Cleo, are good students, the best. Sidney Stanford says the same, but until he gets into actual offensive and defensive spells he is not going to know much.

"Tom Appleleaf says that Rose and Scorpius are good. Albus already knows all the spells, and somehow he can teach Cleo. Cleo seems to see, Tom put it, the magic behind the magic, and once she sees Albus do it, she can. She does the spells differently than anyone else, however, and almost always non-verbally.

"Dragon Chen, the Potions Professor, seems to resent all four students. I didn't get much out of him.

"Neville is teaching the first year Herbology classes. He has no special insight into the four, although he says they all seem to be exceptional students. He agrees with all of the professors that Rose and Scorpius are very competitive, but Albus is just as smart. Cleo is erratic, as good as anybody on her best days.

"Urban Umbridge, the Charms teacher, says he will know a lot more next week when they actually start doing charms. So far it has all been studying about charms, and the students' written work has been good.

"I cannot say I am any further ahead than I was before interviewing the professors."

"I also talked to the four students last night. I didn't get much more information, though. I have been told that Cleo can be very talkative, and we saw that at the Quidditch Match, but she was almost totally silent.

"Scorpius seems to be a nice person. He and Rose spend every spare minute they have in the library or reading, something that amuses Albus. Albus does not tell you everything that he does, and I know he has secrets from us.

"I know I am missing something, maybe several somethings."

"I am sure we will learn more over Christmas," Ginny said. "I am going to tell the family I am pregnant this Sunday. Do you think I should write to the boys?"

Harry said, "Write to the boys, but have James tell Victoire. Within hours of Victoire getting the news Cindy will hear about it, so you should probably tell her as well."

The next morning Ginny had Cindy Hudson, the Potter/Weasley house publicist and reporter, over.

After some polite greetings Cindy asked, "Is there a reason you wanted to see me, Ginny?"

Ginny said, "I'm pregnant."

"Merlin's messes, that is news," Cindy said. "As soon as any of the papers hear about it I am going to be deluged with requests for information. Who knows now?"

"Harry, Fleur, and my midwife," Ginny said. "I expect Bill knows, but he will not say anything until I announce it to the family on Sunday."

"When are you going to tell the children?" Cindy asked.

"I think I will send an owl to James and one to Albus, and ask James to tell Victoire so she can tell the cousins."

"We had better have an announcement in the Sunday Prophet, then," Cindy said. "Harry and Ginny Potter announce that they are expecting their fourth child, when?"

Ginny said, "The end of May."

Cindy said, "The paper will want a half a page from me, anyway. If I write the article we can control what the Prophet puts in the paper. I cannot control the headline, though."

"A headline?" Ginny said. "You cannot just bury the announcement in some obscure back page."

Cindy said, "I hope it is not the only article on the front page, but there is no way we are going to keep it off the front page."

"Boggarts," said Ginny.

The two women spent more time talking, before Cindy started on the article she knew she was going to have to write.

Sunday morning James and Albus received similar owls at breakfast.

 _Dear James,_

 _Towards the end of May, if everything goes well, there will be another child in the Potter family. I am pregnant. I am very happy, and hope you are as well._

 _Please let Victoire know, and together let the rest of the cousins know._

 _I love you and miss you. I cannot wait until you are home for Christmas Break._

 _Mum._

And to Albus.

 _Dear Albus,_

 _Towards the end of May, if everything goes well, there will be another child in the Potter family. I am pregnant. I am very happy, and hope you are as well._

 _I love you and miss you. I cannot wait until you are home for Christmas Break._

 _Mum._

Shortly after the boys received their owls, the Daily Prophet came. On the front page, in big letters, the headline was POTTERS EXPECTING ANOTHER BABY. A half page followed, saying nothing more new, but going over some of the Potter family history.

Albus did not say much, although he was the subject to some good-natured kidding from his Slytherin classmates. He ignored the few nasty remarks.

After breakfast Cleopatra came running over to Albus, and said, "Your mother is going to have another BABY! I think that is so exciting!

"There were not any babies or little children at Malfoy Manor. I hope there are babies at your house."

Albus said, "Aunt Luna has a couple of little boys, and our cousin Fred and his wife are expecting a child. There should be babies and little children around this summer."

Cleo said, "I really do not want to spend the summer at Malfoy Manor. I hope I can spend it at your house with the babies."

"Not with ME?" asked Albus, feigning shock.

"Of course with you," Cleo said. "It is just that I really want babies, and I cannot remember ever holding one."

Shortly after Cleo came over to see Albus, Victoire came over to see him. She said, "Congratulations, I guess, Al."

Al said, "Mum was not all that happy that all her children would be off at Hogwarts. I am surprised, but not shocked."

Victoire said, "We probably ought to have a cousin meeting today. I think most of the school is talking about your mother having a baby, and people are going to ask the cousins about it. We all need to be telling the same story."

"Why?" asked Albus.

"Because otherwise strange rumors will get out, and as a group we stick together," Victoire said. "We just need to decide who to invite. Any of the cousins who has a best friend of the opposite sex is usually allowed to invite the best friend, because they are also asked questions. The only problem is that some people act like anyone in the cousins group who is not a biological cousin is going to marry one.

"Teddy and I are sort of engaged to be engaged, and Roxanne and Frank Longbottom are planning on getting engaged this summer. Molly Weasley will probably marry Rich Hudson as well, but Lucy and Rich's brother Bob are just best friends. They have made it pretty clear that they are just going out with each other because they have not found anyone else, and in some ways it is easier if the sisters go out with brothers. We still let Bob come to the cousins meetings because people assume that he knows, and we want to keep him on the same page with us.

"Besides Rich and Bob's parents are the publicists for the Weasley/Potter family, and it helps if they know.

"Louis always has a girl for dances or parties, but none he is serious about, so we don't worry about him. At some point we may have to include Erica Lionheart with James, but right now all they care about is Quidditch, and we can ignore her right now.

"Cleo, do you understand what my concern is?"

"No," said Cleo. "I'm with Al."

"But Cleo, if I invite you what do I do with Scorpius? Rose and Scorpius are usually together, even if they are studying or arguing most of the time."

Al said, "People will probably ask Scorpius as my roommate as much as they will as Rose's friend. Can you use that as an excuse?"

"I guess," Victoire said. "Roxanne will be in charge of the cousins next year, but after that I do not know who will do it. I may have to ask you and Rose to take over."

Victoire rounded up the cousins and others, and they talked about the pregnancy of Mrs. Potter, and what they should say. As the meeting broke up Victoire emphasized, "We agree, then, that if anyone asks about Aunt Ginny we will just say we will know a lot more after Christmas, and try not to say much more."

After the meeting broke up the four friends were together, and Cleo asked, "Does Victoire run the cousins?"

Al said, "She doesn't exactly run the cousins, tell us what to do, as she makes sure we are all on the same page when it comes to talking about family. She is all about family, and relationships, and people.

"She keeps telling people that she and Teddy are going to have a dozen children when they get married. It is almost like she is trying to be just like Grandmother Weasley."

Rose shook her head at the mention of a dozen children, but Cleo just beamed.


	14. CH 13 Wing-GAR-dium Levi-o-sa

CH 13 Wing-GAR-dium Levi-o-sa

Reviews keep fan fiction writers writing. Thank you to everyone who has written a review. Arnel has again helped shape part of this chapter, plus correcting some stupid mistakes.

* * *

Professor Umbridge finally wanted the students to do real magic, and he told them, "Each of you has a feather. You need to do these wand motions," and he showed the wand motions, "and say 'Win-GAR-dium Levi-o-sa' loudly, and you should be able to raise your feather."

Al and Cleo both silently raised their feathers. Al had practiced saying the spell and holding down the feather, which wanted to fly away unless somehow he controlled the spell.

Finally Professor Umbridge confronted Cleo, who was silently moving the feather up and down. He said, "I told you to say LOUDLY so I could hear, 'Win-GAR-dium Levi-o-sa,' and wave your wand boldly in your RIGHT HAND."

"Professor Umbridge," Cleo said. "I'm left handed. My left hand IS my right hand."

"DO NOT CONTRADICT ME," Professor Umbridge yelled, pointing his wand right at Cleo's chin. "Put your wand in your right hand."

Cleo moved her wand to her right hand.

Professor Umbridge then said, "Say the spell clearly and loudly!"

Cleo was terrified, and she cried out, "Win-GAR-dium Levi-o-sa," while boldly waving her wand with her right hand.

Everyone in the room flew up to the ceiling as did everything in the room.

Albus tried to see what Cleopatra was thinking. Usually he could see the lines of power, and they were more like, well, they were not exactly black, but they were sort of an "other black" sort of colour. This time Al saw what looked like red outlined white lightning pouring out of Cleo's wand, and she was having a very hard time controlling it. She finally grabbed the wand with both hands. The lightning seemed to be getting bigger, and Al thought he could feel the castle shake.

Al thought to Cleo, 'Calm down. Calm down. I will get the people down. Just let me take a little of your power at a time.'

Albus used his wand, and let himself down. Then he started to go around the room, area by area letting all the people and things settle back to the floor. Albus had no idea what he was doing, but the wand seemed to be showing him how to go about gently lowering everyone and everything. He was very grateful that he had the Elder Wand; Albus did not think he could have done anything with his old wand, the spell was that powerful.

Meanwhile, Cleo was shaking, the red bordered lightning still fiercely pinning Professor Umbridge to the ceiling.

Professor McGonagall, Professor Ollivander, and Professor Appleleaf came running into the room. They saw Al getting people down, but could not see how he was doing it. At least the castle had stopped shaking. Professor McGonagall conjured her Patronus to tell everybody that the situation was under control.

Just after Professor McGonagall sent her Patronus the Elf Galadriel Lothlorien and the goblin Thorin Oakenwand came into the room.

Professor Umbridge was still mad at Cleo, and everybody could tell. Cleo was so upset that she was shaking, although Al was trying to calm her. After Al successfully lowered everybody and everything else, he took his left hand and held her right hand, and then put his wand next to her wand and together they let Professor Umbridge down.

"SHE DIDN'T DO THE SPELL THE WAY I TOLD HER TO DO IT!" the Professor yelled as he settled down on the floor, bottom first, before awkwardly getting up.

"That's obvious," Professor Appleleaf said. "I thought she was going to levitate the whole castle. That is one powerful spell."

Cleo said, "I tried to tell Professor Umbridge that I could not do it the way he wanted; He wanted me to use my right hand. I cannot control this wand with my right hand. The three cores fight."

"No wand has three cores," Professor Umbridge said.

Professor Ollivander said, "That one does. Cleopatra is rather remarkable if she can control it. Are you full-blooded?"

Cleo said, "I'm just fat. I'm not full anything. I can do the levitation! I just have to do it my way."

Professor Umbridge said, "She has to learn to do the spells EXACTLY the way I teach them."

Professor Appleleaf asked Cleo, "Miss Smith, my husband says you have done all the Transfiguration assignments. Is that right?"

"Yes, Professor," Cleo said.

"Have you done any of them exactly the way the rest of the students have done them?" she asked.

"I don't think so, but I DO them," Cleo said.

Professor Appleleaf said, "I would expect that doing the spell is the most important thing, and if a student has to do it a little differently, I do not have a problems with it, and I know Professor Tom Appleleaf does not have a problem with it either."

Professor Ollivander said, "I agree. I've studied enough wand lore to know that the best witches and wizards control their wand quite differently than the ordinary young witch and wizard. The important lesson is to do the spell.

"Miss Smith, may I see you levitate some things, the way you want to do it."

Cleo levitated a feather, then three feathers. She levitated a desk, and then gently put it down. She levitated a piece of chalk, and drew on the chalkboard with it. She drew lines, and then put feathers on the board. The lines were a musical staff, and the feathers formed a cord.

"What IS that, Miss Smith?" interrupted Professor Umbridge.

Cleo said, "G minor diminished."

"WHAT?" Professor Umbridge asked. "I need a clearer explanation than that."

Cleo did something else to the lines, and then said, "It is a G minor diminished cord on the treble clef."

"What kind of magic is that?" Professor Umbridge demanded.

"It is music notation, not magic," Cleo said.

The feathers moved as if Cleo was playing a song, and she hummed along with the notation on the board.

"Muggle noise," Professor Umbridge said. "I do not want any noise like that in my classroom, NO MUSIC noise."

Al had concentrated on what Professor Umbridge was saying, but he went back into Cleo's mind. It was an extraordinary experience. He could SEE the magic, and it was light blue and had a melody, and all sorts of things began to make sense. Al knew that if he did the spell again it would be easier, and better, because of what he saw. However, he knew he would not see the colours and music and four dimensional quality of the magic, at least not the way Cleo saw it. That was Cleo, really different, but, Al didn't have another word for it, really MAGICAL.

"How can I teach a student who doesn't do what I tell her to do?" Professor Umbridge asked.

"See if she can produce the desired results, even if she does it differently," Al said. "That is what we are doing in Transfiguration, and it is working very well."

"Are you going to teach her, Mr. Potter?" Professor Umbridge asked. "You don't know the spells yet."

"I am having a little trouble with some of the seventh year spells, but I know how to do every spell in the beginning books," Albus said. "I can teach Cleo, if that is what you want me to do."

"It takes YEARS of practice to do all those spells," Professor Umbridge said. "What did you do to have YEARS of experience?"

Albus didn't say anything. He obviously had said too much.

Finally, Professor McGonagall said to Professor Umbridge, "Let Mr. Potter teach Miss Smith. As long as both do the spells that should be good enough."

Professor Umbridge had a big scowl on his face, and Albus could tell that the idea that he could not enforce strict rules on how to do spells was not something he was in favour of.

Galadriel said to Cleo, "You and Albus should meet us after dinner."

Cleo nodded in agreement. Then the Elf and goblin left. Shortly after, the rest of the teachers left, leaving Professor Umbridge alone with his students. From then on he treated Cleopatra and Albus as if they were made of glass, making it clear that he found giving them special treatment extremely distasteful.

By the end of the night the almost everyone at Hogwarts knew that Cleopatra Smith had almost levitated the whole castle.

* * *

Galadriel went over to the Gryffindor table after dinner, and met with Thorin. They then went over to Cleo, who asked, "May Rose come along with me?"

Galadriel said, "Yes, I think that would be a good idea."

The group then went over to meet with Albus and Scorpius, and they were led to the Elf quarters in the basement of Hogwarts.

Galadriel asked Cleo, "May I see your wand, please?" Cleo took out her wand, and let Galadriel examine it. Then she asked Al, and he let the Elf examine his wand.

"I need to call for help," Galadriel said, and she conjured up something that may have been a Patronus Charm, or something like it. The image was of Galadriel herself, not an animal, but otherwise it was identical to the way the Patronus Charm worked.

Within a quarter of an hour three female Elves were there. Galadriel explained, "All Elf prophets are female."

The Elves examined the wands, and then Albus and Cleopatra. They then borrowed Cleo's wand and examined all four students. They then conferred privately with Galadriel.

Galadriel then said, "The Elder Wand is the second wand of the Magi. The first is in the hands of Cleopatra's great-grandmother. The wand that Cleopatra wields is almost as old as the other wands, however, and has its own special powers.

"Rose, Scorpius, you are neither especially blessed nor cursed, except as you stay friends with Albus and Cleopatra. Prophesy is no guarantee of long life, or success, but we believe both await you.

"Albus, you know all too well that you are the subject of prophesies. Cleopatra is also. You have a most difficult journey, but if you survive and succeed you will make it possible for all the Magi to have a better life.

"Cleopatra, Magi with your power have gone crazy when they did not learn how to control it. Your wand has also been abused by witches who could not control it. Be careful."

Cleo said, "Albus will help me."

Galadriel said, "It is not enough to rely on Albus. You will have to rely on Rose, and many other people. You are also going to have to learn to control your own emotions."

"Like not bouncing at people like Tigger?" she asked.

"That is only the beginning of the emotions and magic you are going to need to control," Galadriel said. "It will not be easy, and you will make mistakes."

"I will not hurt anyone, will I?" Cleo asked.

"We cannot promise that," Galadriel said. "Learning to control your magic is important."

After more talk, everybody separated and went to their own rooms. Albus and Cleopatra knew they would talk about this meeting often over the next months.

* * *

The last Saturday in October was the Ravenclaw verses Hufflepuff Quidditch match. Albus, Cleo and Scorpius watched from the Slytherin stand. Rose was with her cousins in the Gryffindor section.

Ravenclaw, for all their reputation for intelligence, was not playing a very smart game. Their lack of practice also showed. They were way behind when the Hufflepuff Seeker caught the Snitch.

When the game was over Albus said to Cleo, "I am going to change out of my Slytherin uniform and put on some comfortable clothes. Why don't you do the same?"

Albus could immediately see tension and frustration in Cleo, so he asked, "What is the matter, Cleopatra?"

Cleo said, "I have a sort of comfortable dress, but it is ugly."

Albus waited. As they walked back to the castle he could see and feel Cleo's unhappiness, and her need to talk. Finally she said, "There are some private areas under the Gryffindor common room, areas where you can talk privately."

When they arrived at the common room Cleo said, "I'm going to put the dress on, and then we can talk." She went up to her room, wondering why she even agreed to put that UGLY dress on. She saw the book Mrs. Malfoy sent her. Mrs. Malfoy did try, but she was just not really a mother to her, as hard as she tried. Cleo wondered why she was so close to tears. She took the book, and the belt that was supposed to go with her trousers, and feeling very frumpy padded down the stairs.

Albus rose when she appeared, and she led him one flight down to a room maybe half the size of the common room where there were some study areas, and a few comfortable semi-private seating areas. "There are privacy spells around some of these," she explained to Albus.

"I'm still growing," Cleopatra said, once they were seated. "I'm getting bigger on top, real breasts and not just breast buds. I don't even feel good talking to other girls about some of this, and I would never dream of talking to another boy about it, but you are different."

Albus nodded his acceptance. He was thrilled, but a little concerned, that Cleo would trust him that much.

Cleo continued, "The only other clothes I have just do not fit at all. The blouse is just too tight on top. The trousers are way too small because my hips and thighs are getting bigger too. My Hogwarts uniforms are made to grow with me, but I think I am going to need bigger uniforms next spring.

Cleo put the belt around her waist. "I'm not really getting any bigger around my middle, but everything else is," she said as she tightened the belt to show Al, then took it off.

Cleo started to sob. "It's not that I mind growing up. It's just that I need MY MOTHER, and Mrs. Malfoy tries, but she..."

Cleo spent a little time sobbing, and Al waited, feeling like he was really unprepared for this talk.

Cleo brought out the little book. "She sent me this BOOK, like all she needed to do was to give me information. I just need someone to, well, it's all so personal, I mean, when you bleed, and have to wear special …

"Al, I don't know why I can even talk to you about this.

"But I don't want Mrs. Malfoy to take me clothes shopping again. Rose said maybe your mother would, or your grandmother."

Al said, "My mother is good at helping people, and sometimes I think that's most of what Grandmother Weasley does. I will send Mum an owl and see what we can do to help. You really need more clothes."

"I don't want to spend another Christmas at that house," said Cleo. "I like Scorpius as a friend, but it is just so unfriendly there. I hate the tension, the feeling that I am not supposed to be there.

"Even you and I, Al. It is right, but it is not, because we are too young. And I am trouble for myself, but also you, because of all the strange things I see and do. I just don't really FIT anywhere. Besides I'm big and fat and ugly, and I guess I'm just going to get bigger and fatter and uglier."

"You are not ugly, and you are not fat, Cleo," Al said.

"I'm BIG! I'm usually pretty happy," Cleo said. "Why do I feel SO EMOTIONAL right now? It is like nothing is right."

"Maybe Madam Swan, or even old Madam Pomphrey, would know," Albus suggested. "Let's go there."

"THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME," Cleo yelled.

Albus took Cleo's hand.

"You are just perfect, and I'm this crazy emotional female," Cleo said.

"Perfect?" Al asked.

"Your emotions are always under control. You always seem to know what you are doing."

"I try always to be in control. It is partly because I am scared. People have been trying to kill me since I was little. Someone in the Slytherin dorm thought it was great because I had fought and won battles. The problem with winning is that you only have to lose once and you are dead. That is probably why I have tried to learn so much magic so early. I am just really worried."

"What do the prophets think you are going to do?" Cleo asked.

Al didn't really want to tell Cleopatra that he might be the next chief wizard. He could not really believe it, and he was aware that if he lived and got to become chief wizard it could very easily come at a horrible cost to him and his family. But Cleo was in his mind, and she said, "Could you really be the next chief wizard?"

"Please do not tell anyone," Albus said. "There is a lot of sorrow attached to the prophecies, and I am not sure I want the job."

Cleo asked, "Do you have a choice?"

Al answered, "Not a good one. I cannot run away any more than my father could run away from confronting Tom Riddle. That cost him his parents and his father's best friends, and all the other people killed in the fighting. He still feels responsible for so many people dying, even though he stopped the deaths."

Cleo said, "And I am upset because I am just a BIG FAT EMOTIONAL FEMALE with a period that started with a vengeance today, and an ugly dress, and my body is changing."

Cleo started to sob again, and she and Albus sat next to each other, holding hands, as Al let Cleo cry herself out. Finally she said, "You need to change as well."

"Come with me to my room," Al said. They went into the room, and saw that only Albus and Cleo were in it. Albus took off his uniform and put on some casual cloths. He then took out the bag the rings came in.

"I took the other ring, and put it on," Cleo said, not wanting Al to find out the ring was missing before she could tell him. "Maybe I should have waited, but I really did not want Professor Chen in my mind, and I don't have any doubts about you and me, Al.

"Al, I NEED you. When I got to Hogwarts there was so much magic, and I am learning so much, that it is scary. I do not know if I could handle it without you. It is you, you in my mind, that is keeping me sane. And the rings are helping."

Al saw the ring on Cleopatra's hand for the first time, and realized that talking about getting married someday was only part of the story. In some way they were more than two different people. They may not have been married, but they were more than just two people, but were already some sort of unit.

Cleopatra saw just a little more of the symphony, that incredible harmony, that was her and HER ALBUS, and it was good, and she just wallowed in it.

Albus Severus went to bed worried. He could see a lot more magic, and why it worked, when he was looking at it through Cleo's eyes. It was just exhausting trying to learn such a new and different way of seeing. It didn't help that Cleo was a very intense person. Al prided himself on being very cool, collected, and organized. Cleopatra was almost exactly the opposite, intensely passionate and enthusiastic, extraordinarily talented, and with ways of looking at the world and organizing her knowledge, that were strange at the best, and often bizarre.

Al had only known her for a few weeks, but she was already part of him. He could not imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else. Al thought his parents were soulmates, as were some of the other couples he knew, but what did it mean to be a soulmate when you were both eleven. And he knew, he knew because she told him, but he also knew when they were sharing their bodies most intensely, that Cleo was developing. She wasn't a little girl, and he could see it and feel it, but he was still biologically a little boy.

Was Cleo going to share in his dangerous adventures? She had come to Hogwarts with an Elf shadow as well. Al had kind of resigned himself to his fate, but the thought of losing Cleopatra was more than he could bear. For better or for worse, she was part of him, and he knew that he was part of her.

Cleopatra went to bed, but had a very hard time getting to sleep. She was seeing and doing more and more magic, and living in a world more and more dimensional than the three dimensions plus she was used to living in, and it was almost too much stimulus for her to handle. The weekly band sessions, and arranging the music, helped. Albus helped a lot, although she was a lot more aware than he was just how much she depended on him. She was sure that without Albus's help to figure out things she would just go insane, and she did not want to go insane! She wanted to live a long life with Albus and as many children as they could have.

* * *

The Ravenclaw team had some good players, but did not seem to be able to work well as a team. Shortly after their loss, the Ravenclaw team captain talked to Miles Urquhart. Miles approached the group of first year students while they were studying, and asked Al about helping Ravenclaw. It did not seem to Miles like a good idea, but he felt he ought to at least mention it to Al. To Miles' surprise Al was excited, and when Miles asked why, Al replied, "First, we do not have enough people to practice, and we will get much better practice flying against them. Second, we will get a better idea of their strengths and weaknesses if we fly with them. And most importantly, I am playing a bigger game than Quidditch, called real life after Hogwarts. Ravenclaw has some of the smartest witches and wizards, and at some time we may want something from one of them, or their parents, or children. The smartest thing we can do is to make friends with them."

The last statement was a real eye opener to Rose and Scorpius, who were beginning to get a feel for Al's ambitions. Cleo was just always filled with admiration for Al, and as she got more comfortable in this group of three exceptionally smart and driven people she was getting more confident in herself as well.


	15. CH 14 The Dark Arts

CH 14 The Dark Arts

We want to welcome a new Beta, Emilie. I want to thank Arnel, who continues to demonstrate what a fantastic Beta she is by catching stupid mistakes and canon problems, and FriendofMolly for a key change.

* * *

Everybody had heard that Professor Sidney Stanford was an excellent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but for two and a half months all they did was study things from books. All of the first year students were eager to get some practical work in, learn some spells or, better yet, dueling. Finally, on the first of November, Al taught Rose, Scorpius and Cleo about a dozen defensive or dueling spells he knew, and over the next two weeks they had about four hours of practice dueling each other.

The second week in November Professor Stanford had the students learn four basic attacking and defending spells, and for the last class of the week had the students duel. Scorpius and Rose had already learned the spells from Al, and won their matches in seconds. Cleo had a little more trouble, but when she finally threw the right spell out her opponent had to go to the hospital wing with a broken hand. The last people to duel were Al and Mack Goyle. Al easily defeated Goyle. Professor Stanford then had the winners duel against each other. Finally, only the four friends were left. Professor Stanford had the boys duel, and Al easily won. Then he had the girls battle. It looked like Rose would win, but at the last moment Cleo found some inner strength and she Disarmed Rose.

Finally Al and Cleo were facing each other. They took defensive stances, and then Cleo looked at Professor Sanford and said, "I can't. I just can't battle Albus. I'm sorry. I concede." Cleo put her wand into the pocket on her skirt, and started to go to her seat.

Professor Sanford said, "At least make an attempt to duel Mr. Potter, Miss Smith."

Cleo thought to Albus, _Summon my wand. I do not think I can duel you._

Cleo and Al faced each other, and Al quickly Summoned Cleo's wand, and then Levitated it back to her.

Then Al faced Professor Stanford. Professor Stanford tried a simple Disarming Spell, but Al easily defended himself. Professor Stanford tried a more advanced spell. Al came back at him with a complex attach. Professor Stanford rapidly parried that, and tried again to quickly Disarm Albus. Al was strictly on the defensive, but he kept Professor Stanford from Disarming him. The class bell rang and the two opponents stopped their attack. "Practice those spells again before the next class," said Professor Stanford as the class packed up their things. "Mr. Potter, a moment please."

Albus packed up his things, and hid his wand in his trousers

"Mr. Potter, where did you learn to duel?" asked Professor Stanford.

"Mostly by myself, but the last two weeks I have been practicing with Scorpius and Rose and Cleo," said Al. He did not want to say that he had practiced dueling Teddy for years, but only in the shielded rooms under twelve and thirteen Grimmauld Place. Al did not want to get Teddy in trouble.

"How long have you been using that wand?" asked Professor Stanford.

"Not long," said Albus truthfully, "But I have had a little wand practice before I came to Hogwarts."

"A little?" asked Professor Stanford.

"Well, a lot of practice with the wand, but only a little dueling," said Al.

"You are the best four students I have ever had at this first dueling practice," said Professor Stanford. "Keep practicing. You may be excused."

The next weeks just confirmed what Professor Stanford had seen on the first day of practice actually dueling. Rose and Scorpius were excellent, Cleo was erratic but better than Rose and Scorpius when she was on, and never bad. Al was probably capable of taking on some of the seventh year students.

Actually, the more he thought about it, the more Professor Stanford wondered if anybody could defeat Albus Severus Potter. It was almost like Albus had an unbeatable wand. No, that wasn't possible. The last person to have the unbeatable wand was Albus Dumble… Albus … No, no way. Not possible. No eleven-year-old, and Albus was just eleven, could control the Elder Wand. Not possible.

* * *

One Saturday when the Quidditch pitch was being used by other teams, Al asked Cleo if she would like to fly with him. Cleo was having trouble learning to fly a broom, and the fact that she was timid in the air and had never flown before coming to Hogwarts did not help. Scorpius had at least been allowed to go to flying lessons that were given for young witches and wizards from age five on, and was reasonably good. There were also pre-Hogwarts Quidditch games at the Burrow for the younger family members, so Al was way ahead of many of the incoming students. Al had permission to practice on his broom whenever he was free, but of course not to take someone along, so he made sure that he and Cleo were invisible before taking off. The broom was not set up for two persons, so it was a little awkward, but Cleo loved holding on to Al and riding through the beautiful countryside surrounding Hogwarts.

The next time the Firebolt people came Al had them put in optional settings for one and two person touring, and made sure Cleo was sitting behind him as they set up the broom for two person touring. While Rose and Scorpius were studying Al and Cleo would occasionally just fly around looking at things, just enjoying each other's company.

The school year was beginning to settle into a pattern. Slytherin was not going to play another Quidditch game until the spring, but Ravenclaw had two matches in the fall, and the Slytherin team practiced hard against the Ravenclaw team, making both of them much better.

Every third or fourth Saturday Al and Cleo would spend some time mapping the castle. About as often the four students would go and talk to the Elves. Every other Friday they went to Hagrid's place, and although he never became a good cook, slowly Cleo was teaching Hagrid how to make edible food. Most of their time was really taken up with study, and the four students were by far the best students at Hogwarts, partly because they were the hardest working.

* * *

Tuesday, the week the Hogwarts students left for Christmas Break, Harry received a Patronus from Minerva McGonagall saying, "James has been injured in a Potions accident. His injuries are not life threatening, but they are bad enough that you and Ginny should get here promptly. Please use the Floo in my office."

Harry used his wizard mobile to call Ginny, and they agreed to meet at Professor McGonagall's office as soon as they could make it. A short time later both Harry and Ginny, both with their Auror guards, came through the Floo.

Harry and Ginny rushed to the hospital wing. Both Matrons, Poppy Pomfrey and Genevieve Swan, were there. Madam Pomfrey met the Potters, and said, "I have never seen an accident like this one. It looks like the material is designed to scar whoever it hits."

"How is James," Ginny asked.

Madam Pomfrey said, "He will survive, and Genevieve and a couple of healers from St. Mungo's are trying to minimize the scarring. We just do not know what we are dealing with."

Harry said, "Has anyone talked to the teacher?"

Madam Pomfrey said, "Professor Chen has not been much help. Sometimes I think he has no idea what he is doing."

Harry said, "Ginny, I am going to go down to the Potions classrooms. Tell James I am trying to find out what went wrong, and if there is any way we can get more information about this potion."

Madam Pomfrey said, "I think you want to talk to John Krum first. He is a healer who specializes in Potion and chemical injuries, and he is in with James."

Harry and Ginny rushed in to see James. His face and one arm had deep, raw looking pockmarks in them. He had been wearing protective goggles, so his eyes and the area around the eyes were not harmed, but the rest of his face looked bad.

James' eyes were closed, and Madam Swan said, "James was in agony from his injuries, and we put him to sleep so he will not feel the pain. We are working on him."

An older healer introduced himself, saying, "Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I am Healer John Krum, and I specialize in Potion and chemical type injuries. I have asked Professor Chen what caused the damage, but he seemed to have no idea."

Harry said, "Did you check which spells he had done before the accident?"

John said, "Yes, we checked James' and James' partner's wands. I tried to check Professor Chen's wand, but he had used it for a large amount of cleaning, and checking it was not helpful. It would have been better if he had not cleaned up everything. As it is we have no good evidence in the classroom of what caused the burns."

Harry said, "All this cleaning is suspicious to me."

Healer Krum said, "If he did this he is a lot more competent than the students and teachers tell me he is, but I do not have any other explanation. I guess a student could have done something, but I cannot figure out how that would happen either."

Harry asked, "Would it help if I had a wand specialist examine all the wands in the room?"

John said, "Anything would help. We do not know what we are dealing with. We have neutralized the continuing damage, but healing the scarring is going to be hard until we know what happened."

Harry contacted his office. There were two Aurors who were experts at examining wands, and seeing what spells had been cast. Harry had both of them come to Hogwarts to examine Professor Chen's wand, and the wands of all the students who were in the classroom.

Harry also had a couple of Aurors who were good at getting eyewitness accounts interview all the students.

Shortly after Harry had arranged all this investigation, Victoire appeared. She said, "I heard about the accident, Uncle Harry. Do you have any idea what happened?"

Harry said, "No, and any evidence of what happened seems to have disappeared."

Victoire said, "Could Professor Chen have done it?"

Harry asked, "Why do you ask that?"

Victoire said, "The younger students do not like him. They say he is not very competent. I do not have any real reason to suspect him, though."

Harry said, "See what you can find out, but do not suggest that Professor Chen may be involved. If other students volunteer anything let me know right away."

"I can get the cousins and the Gryffindor students on it, without accusing anyone," Victoire said. "I need to tell the cousins about James anyway. How is he? He will recover, won't he?"

"He may be badly scarred, but otherwise it looks like he will recover. It would help us reduce the scarring if we knew what happened," Harry said.

As Victoire left Erica Lionheart appeared. She saw Harry and said, "Hello, Mr. Potter. I heard about James. How is he?"

"He may be scarred on his face and right hand and arm, but otherwise he should recover," Harry said. "The healers are working on him, and we are trying to find out what happened."

"Will he still be able to play Quidditch?" Erica asked.

"I do not think this will affect his Quidditch playing, Erica," Harry said. "There are more important things than Quidditch."

"That is what Mum always tells me," Erica said. "James says we need to get good grades so we can stay on the Quidditch teams. May I see James?"

"Maybe tomorrow," Harry said. "He is unconscious because of the pain right now, and I do not expect him to be able to see you until tomorrow."

* * *

Victoire called all the Gryffindor cousins together right after their last class. James was not with them, and Victoire said, "James is in the hospital wing because of a serious accident in Potions. He should recover, but his face and one hand and arm will probably be scarred because of the accident."

Louis asked, "Are we sure it was an accident?"

Victoire said, "What else would it be?"

Cleopatra said, "Professor Chen tried to get into Albus and my mind. I do not like that man! Maybe he did something?"

"I wish we could call Albus," Victoire said.

"I can," Cleo said. "Do you want him to come here?"

"Sure," Victoire said, not sure how Cleo was going to call Albus.

Cleo thought, _Albus, come to Gryffindor. James was hurt in Potions, and the cousins are gathering._

Albus thought back, _Now?_

Cleo answered, _NOW!_

 _Coming,_ Al thought.

"We are going to Gryffindor," Al said to Scorpius. "My brother James was hurt in Potions, and Cleo and I are suspicious. The Weasley cousins are meeting."

Cleo met Al and Scorpius and led them into one of the rooms below the common room, where the cousins were meeting.

"How did you call Al?" Victoire asked Cleo.

"We are here," Albus said. "Do not worry about how right now. How did James get hurt in Potions?"

"That is what we are trying to figure out," Victoire said. "The potion they were making was not dangerous enough to explode and cause the injuries it did. It happened when only James was near the cauldron, too. I talked to his partner and a couple of the other students who were in the class. Aurors interviewed all the students who were in the class as well."

"I know Professor Chen was trying to get into Cleo and my mind early in the year," Albus said. "I do not like that man."

Victoire said, "Not liking him is not enough. What happened?"

"Can we talk to James," Al asked.

"See if your mum and dad will let you," Victoire said. "They will not let us in, but they may talk to you."

"Stay here, Cleo," Al said. He then went up to the hospital wing.

Rose and Scorpius joined the rest of the cousins and friends trying to figure out just how James could have been injured.

Albus entered the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey greeted Albus. She was semi-retired, but usually was around to help if a student was seriously injured. When Albus saw her he became even more worried about James, and asked, "How bad is James?"

"The scarring is pretty bad," Madam Pomfrey said. "I've never seen such scarring from a potions accident, and certainly not from a second year potions accident."

"The Weasley cousins do not think it was an accident," Albus said.

"If you have any evidence of that let Professor McGonagall know, and your father," Madam Pomfrey said. "Your parents are in with James now. Wait here. I will go in and see if you can see James, or if one of them will see you."

It seemed to Al like he waited a very long time. Finally his father came out. As soon as Albus saw his father he said, "How is James?"

"The scarring is pretty bad, and it is not going to be easy to fix it," Harry said.

Al said, "Professor Chen tried to get into Cleopatra's mind, and mine. We resisted, because of the rings Professor Snape gave me, but we do not trust that man. Are you sure it was an accident? The cousins do not think it was."

"No, Al," Harry said. "I am suspicious too. I am going to find out what happened, and how. Do not get in any trouble, but if you and the cousins can find out anything let me know."

"I will not get into any more trouble than you did when you were at Hogwarts," Albus said.

"No more trouble than ME!" Harry exclaimed. "Albus, that's a terrifying thought," Harry had a pensive look on his face, as he paused, and looked at Albus.

"So far we have not gotten into ANY trouble, dad," Albus said. "I am going to always try to do the right thing. Can I see James?"

"You are probably missing dinner," Harry said. "You should be able to see James tomorrow."

Albus went over and gave his father a hug. He said, "I thought I was the one people were trying to hurt or kill. I would hate it if other people were hurt because of me."

Harry said, "We do not know that this was anything but an accident, and even if it was not an accident there is no evidence that it had anything to do with you."

As soon as Harry could he had the best of the memory witches look at James memories of the accident. There seemed to be a few minutes totally missing, which was very unusual and concerning.

James seemed to be well enough to go back to class on Thursday, but the scarring was pretty bad. It looked like James was going to go home for Christmas without anyone having any idea what had happened.

Albus and the cousins tried to see if they could find out anything more about the accident, but with the train leaving Hogwarts that Friday there was very little time left to investigate.

* * *

Thursday afternoon Cindy Hudson came over to see Ginny.

"I hate to be insensitive, Ginny," Cindy said, "but I understand that James was hurt. From what I hear it is all over the school. If I don't put something in the Prophet Rita will have something in that scandal sheet she is now publishing. It would be better for you if the real story was in the Prophet first."

"I don't know what the real story is," said Ginny, feeling the baby bump that was a constant reminder that they were bringing another life into the world. Ever since the accident she had become more and worried about the threats to her children.

"It was an accident, wasn't it?" Cindy asked.

"We don't think it could have been, but we do not have any proof," Ginny said. "I do not know what Harry wants you to put in the paper."

"How noticeable is it?" Cindy asked.

"Oh Merlin," Ginny said, the tears starting to form. "It is not as bad as Bill's scars, but it is bad. He has deep pockmarks all over his face and right arm. The healers say there is nothing we can do with magic or Muggle medicine to get rid of them. Muggles have some way of taking skin from one place and putting it somewhere else, but because the scars are magical the healers do not think that will work."

"Any other damage?" asked Cindy.

"Not as far as we know," Ginny said. "He was wearing goggles, so the eyes were spared. You can see a few pockmarks on his lips, but they should not interfere with anything."

"I will ask Harry before putting anything in the Prophet," Cindy said.

When Harry arrived home that evening Ginny asked, "Did Cindy see you?"

"I just told her to put in the paper that it was an accident, and that the incident is under investigation," Harry said.

"Harry," Ginny said, holding him tightly. "It is getting scary again. I don't know how my mother did it, with all of us at the Battle of Hogwarts. No one brings new life into the world so they can be hurt or killed. I am terrified of Teddy going on a dangerous assignment and getting hurt or killed. I've been worried about Albus for a long time, but James too!

"I was all eager to fight when I was sixteen. It is a lot different when you are their mother."

"It is a lot different when you are their father as well, Ginny," Harry said, returning the hugs. "It is a lot harder than I thought it would be."


	16. Ch 15 Start of Christmas Holidays

APDH Ch 15 The Start of Christmas Holidays, 2017

Henry Granger and Lilly Evans Granger are the subjects of my short story _Tiny Tim, a Shaggy Kneazle Story,_ on . For my American readers, a jumper is what an American would call a sweater. Arnel had me change the way a scene was written, in addition to her usual corrections, and FriendofMolly worked her magic as well. Thanks to all my Beta readers.

Two weeks before the students were scheduled to come home from Hogwarts, before James' accident, the Potters received a letter from Albus.

"Harry," said Ginny, "Al wrote us a letter." And she handed the letter to Harry.

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _Can I please invite Scorpius Malfoy to stay at our house between from the day after we get back from Hogwarts to the day we have to go back to school? He will go home for Christmas, but wants to spend as little time there as possible. He really does not want to go back home, although he wants to see his Grandmother Malfoy. He says this Christmas is going to be painful._

 _Cleo wants to spend all of her time with Rose and me. She really likes Scorpius, but it is more like Rose and me, not really a girlfriend, and she feels awkward in the Malfoy Manson. She says Hogwarts is the first real home she has ever known. We are not sure if she will be allowed to_ _skip_ _Christmas with the Malfoys._

 _Cleo really needs new clothes. She is growing, and nothing fits. The one dress she has is really ugly. She does not want Mrs. Malfoy to take her clothes shopping. Do you think you could take her to get new, pretty clothes?_

 _Love, Al"_

Harry read the letter and said, partly to Ginny partly to himself, "I guess we better find out what Scorpius is like."

Ginny said, "Albus has written a little about Scorpius Malfoy, and they seem to get along fine. He seems like a nice young man, unlike his git of a father."

Harry said, "I know after talking to Minerva that the four, Albus, Rose, Scorpius and Cleopatra, are the best students in their year. Minerva says that Rose and Scorpius are almost like a male and female Hermione. Al is different, but he is just as good. Cleopatra is clearly the next best student in the school, sort of. She can always do any spell you ask her to do, but she usually does it differently."

Ginny looked at Harry, and thought a moment. "When Al first wrote about Cleopatra I had a mental picture of her, sort of a cross between a little Fleur and Luna, a little girl because Al is so small. Was I ever wrong!"

Harry thought of this largish, dark, awkward black haired girl, and gently laughed, and then said, "I assume we will spend Christmas at Potter's New Burrow."

"Of course," said Ginny.

"It's fine with me," said Harry. He thought of all the prophecies that were swirling around Albus and Cleopatra, and the connection between the two that he was hearing about from Minerva and from the prophets, not to mention what his own research into prophesy was teaching him. It all worried him. So far Albus had not faced any dangers; well, except for the Dementor attack at the Quidditch game, none that he knew about, but Harry did not think it could last. There was some sort of incident with Hogwarts students, but Harry didn't think it was a real attack.

Rose asked her mother if Cleo could stay with her starting over the Christmas holidays. Hermione and Ginny talked, and then Ginny wrote back to Al and said that as far as they were concerned Scorpius and Cleopatra would be welcome to' stay.

The students arrived back in London Friday, December fifteenth. This was the first time no one was allowed to leave through the pillar between platforms nine and ten. All the Magi had to take the Floo or Apparate. The Muggle parents and students were assigned Magi families that they met at various places around Great Britain. The Muggle parents accompanied their assigned Magi family to and from the train station. The same process was going to be reversed for the trip back to Hogwarts on January second.

A dozen families came back to the group of houses surrounding the Potter home. By this time families of Magi owned most of the houses that encompassed One to Fifteen Grimmauld Place and One to Fifteen Newbright Street. Number Twelve Grimmauld Place was the home of Harry and Ginny, and Number Thirteen was the home of Ron and Hermione. Number Fourteen was a home and the offices of the Potter/Weasley Elves, a group that was larger than the Hogwarts Elves and still growing. Number Fifteen, at the end of the block, was the home of Dudley Dursey, his witch wife, and their three magical children. Twelve to fifteen Newbright Street was mostly Aurors.

Number One Grimmauld Place was the home of Henry Granger, Lilly Evans Granger, and their children. Henry owned Numbers One and Two Grimmauld Place and Numbers One and Two Newbright Street when he and Lilly married, and they were purchasing a couple of additional houses as well. As far as they knew Henry was not closely related to Hermione.

Harry kept all reporters away from the Hogwarts Express. He did not want to advertise James' accident and scarring. He knew they would have to face the reporters sooner or later, but he was not eager to try and explain why James was so scarred. He hoped the little article Cindy put in the paper would be enough for now. Harry could not keep from thinking it was not an accident, and that James was scarred because he was Harry Potter's son.

First Albus, and now James, were facing dangers. It was not a good feeling.

Scorpius brought the letters home, and went to work on his grandmother and father. He was not sure about his mother. Grandmother Narcissa Malfoy did not have any problem with it, and volunteered to take the children over. Narcissa said that she had met Molly and Ginny at Home Schooling meetings, but never mentioned that she and Molly had become friends outside of the formal Home Schooling meetings. Narcissa wanted to meet the rest of the Weasleys in their natural setting, at home with family.

Partly because his mother so strongly wanted the two children to be able to go, Draco agreed. No one mentioned it to Astoria until Sunday morning, when they were to leave. Astoria was furious, but she was frequently angry, and plans were not changed because of that. The great-grandmothers did not find out until after Narcissa, Scorpius and Cleopatra left via the Floo.

The Potters, Ron and Hermione and their children spent at least part of the summers and Christmas on the New Burrow property in a very large house that Harry had built. It was very similar to Arthur and Molly's house. Harry and Ginny had the master bedroom next to the kitchen, and Ron and Hermione had the other master bedroom off the living room. One difference was that there was a small stairway upstairs on both sides of the house so the parents could get to their children quickly, in addition to the imposing central staircase. All of the growing extended family had rooms in either the original New Burrow or the almost mirror image Potters New Burrow.

Scorpius and Cleo came over on Sunday, early in the morning, along with Narcissa Malfoy. About eight thirty, they came in via the Floo Network, and walked into the Potter's New Burrow kitchen. Ginny greeted Narcissa warmly; she had met her at some of the Home Schooling meetings along with other parents and grandparents who were home schooling children and grandchildren, and could see how she sincerely wanted to do a good job with her grandson. Narcissa had not mention Cleo at these meetings; having to teach Cleo as well, and having her forced on the Malfoy household, had been very awkward.

Scorpius was wearing a shirt and tie, the tie in Slytherin colors, pressed trousers, an obviously expensive store bought jumper, and brand new trainers. Rose was wearing a pastel dress appropriate to her age, with contrasting leggings. The shoes, earrings and hairband all matched, and went with the dress. She and Scorpius obviously knew how to dress, and look like they could have come out of the pages of Muggle magazines _Seventeen_ or _Shout,_ or the European equivalent for the young witch, _Switch_

Albus was wearing his usual casual jeans and shirt, and his trainers were nothing special. And Cleo was wearing the same ugly dress that was the only thing she owned that even remotely fit, outside of the Hogwarts uniforms, having grown out of everything else, and really having grown out of that dress as well.

Cleo sort of brushed herself off, tried to adjust the dress three different ways, none of which helped at all, pushed back her unruly hair, and said, "Mrs. Potter, Rose thought you could, please, help me buy some new clothes."

Rose said to her aunt, "Do you think we could go shopping, maybe tomorrow, Aunt Ginny?"

Ginny looked at Narcissa, dressed in a typical upper class robe. Narcissa obviously had no idea how to shop for Muggle clothes for Cleopatra, or had not dared to go to the right magical stores. Cleo was a disaster, head to toe. Ginny said, "I think shopping for new outfits for Cleo first thing tomorrow is a good idea. Do you want to come with us, Rose?"

"Yes, please, Aunt Ginny," Rose said.

Ron was just coming into the kitchen. He had been told that Rose had invited a girl over, but no one quite knew how to tell Ron that Scorpius Malfoy was coming, and he had not been told. This was a mistake. As soon as Ron saw Narcissa and Scorpius he said "Malfoy?"

Al went up to his uncle and said, "Uncle Ron, Scorpius and I are room mates. We both are really good at school, as good as Rose and she is just the best, and have not had any infractions or other problems so far this year. Besides, he is determined to be different than his grandfather, and even his father, and do good. Please give him a chance!"

Ron looked over to Rose and Cleo, then over to Scorpius. "Who is friends with who?" said Ron with a scowl on his face.

Al said, "Everybody is friends with everybody, Uncle Ron! We are the best students in our year! Rose is the smartest person at Hogwarts, certainly among the first years, and maybe in the school, just like Aunt Hermione, but Scorpius and I are as good in school, and Cleo is almost as good, better than anyone but Rose and Scorpius. We all study together, and we all are excellent students! Please give us a break."

Harry said, "The three of us have welcomed them into our home. I think you should as well."

Ron said, "Welcome. Sorry, I was just surprised." He went over and shook Scorpius' hand, and said welcome to Cleo who sort of squeaked back a shy, "Hi, Mr. Weasley."

Al and Rose took Scorpius and Cleopatra over to the New Burrow meet their grandparents. Molly gave Scorpius a great big hug, saying, "Good to meet you, Scorpius. Rose has been telling us about you, and your grandmother has been talking about you for years."

Scorpius let himself be hugged, and said in return, "Rose and Al have said so much about you. It is very good to meet you, too …" Scorpius was searching for what to call Molly.

"You can call me Grandmum Weasley," said Molly. "A number of the grandchildren's friends call me Grandmum Weasley."

"Grandmum Weasley," said Scorpius. "That's nice."

Molly then hugged Cleo.

Cleo grabbed onto Molly like her life depended on it, and began to cry. Cleo said, "It feels so good to be hugged by you, Grandmum Weasley. I don't know how I know, because my memory was wiped when I was brought to the Malfoy house, but I just feel like my mother was busty, and being pulled into you just reminds me of being hugged by my mother."

Molly looked at Narcissa. It looked to Molly like Narcissa was trying to agree with Cleo, but something was blocking her from talking about it. Molly sort of nodded to Narcissa, and then said to Cleo, "You are probably right. That sort of memory can last even though someone tried to wipe all of your memory."

Narcissa smiled, and Molly knew that somehow she and Narcissa had confirmed a little bit of Cleo's lost memory of her mother.

Cleo hugged Molly again, saying, "Al told me about your wonderful hugs and how you are such a loving person and thank you!" The two of them hugged a little longer, and when Molly released her, Cleo looked around and said, "I love this family! Oh Al, Rose, you are so so lucky! Thank you, Grandmum Weasley!"

Cleo had the biggest smile on her face, like she had just won the biggest award anyone could give. Molly looked at Cleo and then back at Rose and Al. Rose just shrugged, but Al had a big smile on his face and mouthed silently, "That's Cleo," sort of shaking his head.

Al then thought 'Tigger' to Cleo, and she thought back, 'I'll try not to bounce at people.'

Molly had to smile. She thought that her son-in-law Harry always had to be in control, but her Ginny, once in a while she was out of control. Al was more in control of his emotions than even his father. Sometimes Al was so in control he did not seem human. And here Al had brought into the family … there was no question that Cleo was Al's girlfriend, as young as they were, and despite the fact that she was staying with Rose … Al had this almost out of control exuberant delightful girl, almost as dark as George and Angelina's children, and significantly bigger than Al was. Life had been very good since the war, and was always interesting. Cleo was going to make it even more interesting, and probably a great more delightful as well.

Cleo luxuriated in Molly Weasley's hug, wiggled her body tight between Molly's ample bosom, and, thinking about her growing breasts, thought, 'That's another thing a big bosom is for, surrounding people you love with hugs.' The very excess of Molly's femininity somehow struck Cleo as a really good thing. Cleo was never going to be small, so she might as well be curvy, motherly, a LOTS OF FEMALE type person.

"I love the smell of your kitchen, Grandmum Weasley," said Cleo. "I love to cook, I love smells. This smells like a HOME." Cleo took another big sniff with her huge nose and smiled. Molly asked the people that were standing around what they wanted to drink. Cleo gravitated over to help, talking to Molly and asking questions about cooking and the family.

Ginny took Narcissa over to the New Burrow shortly after the children left, and the other adults followed. When Ginny and Narcissa walked into the kitchen Molly went over to Narcissa and gave her a huge hug. "Welcome to my home," Molly said. "Harry paid for this fantastic house, to replace the one lost in the war."

Andromeda saw Narcissa come in, and went over to her and gave her a big hug. "Welcome to my world," Andromeda said. "I have a little flat here, and if the chaos gets to you we can escape to my sitting room."

Narcissa looked at all the people who were coming into the kitchen, and said, "It is not exactly the deathly quiet decorum of the Black or Malfoy households."

As family members came into the big kitchen and dining area Al introduced Cleo and Scorpius to each of his Aunts and Uncles. Rose frequently had something to add, some additional bit of information about the family or person.

Shortly after nine thirty everyone was there, and everybody sat down to a large breakfast. Cleo knew who everyone was, and as she ate she looked at every family. She was aware of her ugly dress, but also of her large hips and thighs, and thought she was sort of ugly. All these people were well dressed, and other than the scars looked so good, so put together. She started going through each family member in her head.

Uncle Bill had a very scarred face, but other than that he was typical Weasley, red hair and freckles. His clothes were obviously expensive, and he carried himself as one who is used to be in command and respected. Aunt Fleur was, just from her looks, the perfect trophy wife. She had blue eyes, long silver blond hair that could blow around and never look like a hair was out of place. She was big enough on top, with a narrow waist, and beautiful hips, almost certainly some people's idea of an ideal feminine figure. It would be easy to hate someone that perfect, except Al had told her about all the charity work his Aunt Fleur did for the Harry and Ginny Potter Foundation, and all the other really good things about her.

Dominique, who was just back from Beauxbatons, was the same height as her mother, and looked like a thinner clone, with nice breasts that were at least a full size smaller, although not too small, a tiny waist, and more modest hips. Dominique's hair and eyes were identical to Fleur's. Both Fleur and her daughter glided into a room, walking and moving like ballet dancers. Louis was the same height as his father, but had his mother's hair and eyes. He had a body that was thin but not skinny, and looked like what you could imagine a male Veela would look like. Cleo knew many girls thought Louis Weasley was the most eligible bachelor at Hogwarts, and almost certainly the best looking.

Then you had Victoire, the same height as her mother and sister, but all Weasley. She had long red hair, freckles, and she did not glide into a room. Dominique was a size thinner Fleur, but Victoire was larger than a size larger Fleur, with breasts large enough to be busty, and hips that were substantial enough to make her bottom heavy despite her large bust. She looked like what Grandmother Weasley must have looked like before she had children, except taller.

Cleo knew that Victoire and Teddy Lupin were, as they put it, 'engaged to be engaged.' Teddy wanted to prove himself in the International Aurors for a couple of years before settling down, and if you were married or engaged you did not get the dangerous assignments. Getting a dangerous undercover assignment worried Victoire, Andromeda, Harry, and almost anyone else who knew about it, but Teddy felt he had to prove himself.

Teddy's grandmother Andromeda was also there, a strikingly good looking older woman.

Uncle Charlie, or what was left of him, was the next oldest. You really couldn't say he was good looking. The dragon that killed his partner had taken both legs and his bottom up to his waist, and his right arm and much of his face. He was in a wheelchair that was some combination of a Muggle electric chair with lots of magical enhancements. He had a full time nurse, Caroline Fawcett, another good looking older woman, and an adopted daughter, Ivana Romanoff. When Ivana's parents were killed by a dragon Ivana's Uncle Stribog Romanoff and his partner Charlie adopted her, so when Stribog was killed and Charlie was hurt Ivana came to live with the Weasleys'.

Ivana was a year younger than Albus, and would be going to Hogwarts next year. She looked like she could be related to Russian royalty.

Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey were the only ones dressed in conventional robes. Percy looked like a clone of his father, including the bald spot in the middle of his red hair. Molly and Lucy were thin, good looking girls, about the same shape as Dominique, although not so exotically beautiful, and although you could not tell what type of figure a woman had under her robes, it looked like Audrey may have been shaped like her daughters.

Cleopatra gave a silent sigh. To her, everybody else was good looking, and she was this fat, awkward ugly thing.

The only thing strange about Uncle George was his missing ear. Well, everything was sort of strange with Uncle George, but his looks were all Weasley. His wife, Aunt Angelina, at least had HIPS, big substantial hips as big around as Victoire's. Aunt Angelina was as tall as Uncle George.

Their oldest, Fred, had been spending summers in Africa learning magic there. At spring break his last year Fred went over to the tribe where he was learning magic, and arranged to go to school there in the summer. Fred also managed to get his steady girlfriend, Miriam, pregnant. They were in the New Burrow for breakfast, Fred taller than his parents, and looking like a cross between them. Miriam was a tiny girl, no bigger than Albus' mum, which meant that her baby bump was a small mountain on her small frame. All four were wearing the Weasley Wizard Wheezes uniform, and would be going to the store after breakfast.

Uncle George and Aunt Angelina's daughter, Roxanne, was not going to be going to the shop. She was at breakfast with Frank Longbottom II, the son of Professor Longbottom. Neither family was happy that they had become a couple so early. Roxanne was only sixteen, and in sixth year. Frank was eighteen, and training to be an Auror, and Roxanne was planning on being an Auror as well. They both loved plants, and when the time was right they were going to quit the Aurors to become full time farmers. No one would be surprised if Frank II ended up teaching Herbology.

The families had decided, Cleo knew, to allow Frank II and Roxanne to become formally engaged on her seventeenth birthday, June first, or as soon as they arrived home from Hogwarts, depending on when it could be arranged. They were not going to be allowed to sleep together at Hogwarts, but once they were engaged they would be sharing a bed when Roxanne was out of school.

Cleo doubted if Roxanne was a virgin; she had a good supply of birth control potions. The whole situation was, Cleo knew, a difficult one for Professor Longbottom, made even more difficult because it was common knowledge that the Professor and his wife Hannah were not married when Frank was conceived.

Mrs. Potter was very short, and maybe a little heavy, but Cleo thought she was still very good looking. Mr. Potter was short for a man, but Cleo thought he was very good looking, and Albus looked like he might be a clone of his father, without the lightning shaped scar. James Potter and his sister Lily Luna were Weasleys, red hair, freckles and all. James did have scars on his face and one arm, but other than that he was good looking, and well dressed.

Uncle Ron was the tallest, with red hair and the start of a bald spot. He also had on Weasley Wizard Wheezes robes, since he was a partner in the shop. Aunt Hermione was in what had become her uniform of sorts, a very feminine suit, a blouse that was feminine and at the same time businesslike, trousers that showed she was female, and didn't hide too much that she was thicker around the bottom than when she was a student. She usually had an unconstructed jacket on or had one available. Cleo thought her breasts were already as big as Aunt Hermione's.

Hugo looked like a cross between Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione.

All these people, and except for scars, all better looking than her, Cleo thought.

After breakfast Molly asked Narcissa, "How do you like our family Sunday breakfasts?"

"I'm just so thrilled to meet all the people you have been talking about," Narcissa replied. "I will have to admit that it is every bit as confusing in person as when you have told me about it."

Narcissa turned to Ginny and said, "Your dear mother and I have been meeting since shortly after the Battle of Hogwarts. None of the Death Eater wives or most of the pure bloods would have anything to do with me, nor would the people hurt by my husband and Voldemort, but your mum did. I am so grateful. I wanted to keep the meetings secret, and now I'm not even sure why. No sense in keeping it secret anymore."


	17. Ch 16 Harry, Albus and the Elder Wand

Ch 16 Harry, Albus and the Elder Wand.

You knew that Albus could not keep the Elder Wand secret from his father for very long. How is Harry going to handle this? More critical edits by Arnel.

* * *

After breakfast all the younger people drifted over to Potter's New Burrow, with most of the adults at the grandparents' house next door. Since the weather was not good, everybody was inside, and Al was playing a "how many wands can I catch" game with his cousins. He could usually disarm three people and catch the wands, but beyond three it was harder to catch the wands and keep the wand disguised. As he was doing this his father came into the room. For about three sessions of this Harry just looked on in amazement, and then he noticed Al's wand. He looked at it really carefully. Trying to disarm five cousins was more than Al could do with the Concealment Charm.

As the true nature of the wand revealed itself Harry looked at in shock. It couldn't be! It had to be!

"Albus Severus Potter! I need to talk to you," Harry said in a firm, commanding voice. He took Al to his office and said, "I want to see your wand, and without any Concealment Charm!"

Al took off the Concealment Charm and held up the wand.

Harry again said, "Tell me how you got that wand."

Al said, "I can tell you, but Scorpius was there, and Rose and Cleo know the story. Do you want to talk to them too?" Al was worried. He knew that it was really strange the way the wand had come to him, and he was always worried that his father would try and take it away. When it came right down to it Al was sure this was Albus Dumbledore's wand, the Deathstick, and there was no way his father wanted him to have THIS wand. At the same time this was the only wand that felt right in his hand, like it belonged to him. Yes, it was a powerful wand, but it was HIS powerful wand.

"You tell me first," said Harry, and Al told him the story. He ended with, "You told me that I could have any wand that chose me if you could get it for me. This wand chose me. Please, Dad. This is the first wand that has felt right for to me."

Harry thought back to giving Albus permission to have the best wand for him. He certainly never intended to give Albus the Elder Wand, but he never said, "Any wand but the Elder Wand." It just never occurred to Harry that the wand would take Harry's statements, both verbally, and he realized in writing, as permission for the wand to change its allegiance to Albus. Harry sat quietly looking at the Elder Wand, a sinking feeling in his stomach. Harry felt that the Elder Wand was too powerful and dangerous for him to handle, and here it was in Albus' hand. Harry asked Albus, "Do you have any idea what wand that is?"

Albus said, "I think it may be, I think it is Professor Dumbledore's wand?"

"It is. Do you know what wand that is?" asked Harry.

"The Elder Wand?" said Albus.

"And what makes you think that an eleven-year-old should have the oldest, most powerful, and most dangerous wand in the world?" asked Harry, straining not to yell.

"Daddy," said Albus, "I didn't try and get this wand. It came to me. It felt right, really good. I did not realize what wand it was at first. And Dad, you promised me any wand that choose me, not any wand but this one. Please!"

Harry had no idea what he was going to do. He told Albus to wait outside his office. He took Rose, and then Scorpius, aside and one at a time had them tell him the story. He told each of them not to say anything. Harry remembered prophesies about him giving the Elder Wand to a child. He swore he would not, but he had also promised Al any wand that had chosen him. He was caught. Damn. Damn! DAMN!

Then Harry motioned for Cleo to come into his office and said, "Tell me how Albus got the wand he is carrying, Cleo."

Cleo said, "It came to him. Oh, Mr. Potter Al is just so good at summoning things, and when his wand was broken, and he summoned 'Albus's wand' that wand just came to him. It's just right, like, I don't know, like this wand is right for me." Cleo showed Harry her wand.

"Is that the wand that has been in Ollivander's window for ten years?" Harry asked, a little shocked at Cleo's wand.

Cleo nodded her head. "The wand didn't choose anyone else, but it chose me. It's a little touchy to use sometimes, because it has three cores and sometimes they fight and it needs a firm hand, but it's just, OH, RIGHT! And Al's wand is like that for him, it's just RIGHT!

"I mean, Mr. Potter, the two wands are different. Most wands, they don't have a gender, but Al's wand is masculine and my wand is feminine. Here, do a simple spell with this wand and you will be able to see what I mean."

Harry took Cleo's wand. It felt feminine in his hand. He didn't know how he could tell, but he could. He did a simple summons with the wand. It didn't feel right. He really did not want to use that wand. It wasn't exactly like rape, but it was like making some sexually really inappropriate remark using that wand.

"The Elder Wand is masculine like this is feminine?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yes!" Cleo said. "Three or four other girls have tried to touch it and they can't. It's just, I don't know, but they say it feels wrong, like it's something they really shouldn't touch."

"And you?" asked Harry.

"I don't have any problem using Al's wand, and he doesn't have any problem using mine, but we know it's not our wand. We know that his is masculine and mine is feminine." Cleo responded.

"And you think that Albus Potter should have the most dangerous wand in the world?" asked Harry.

"But it's HIS WAND, Mr. Potter. Please. It chose him." Cleo had a panicky look on her face.

"Tell Al to come back in here," Harry said. Then he sent a text message to Minerva asking to use her office. Minerva sent a text message back saying she was with the Prewetts, but he could take the Floo to the Hogwarts Kitchens, and the password to her office was 'Merry Christmas Minerva."

The three friends saw Harry walk with Al to the fireplace and heard Harry say, "Hogwarts kitchen." Rose and Scorpius went into the library to talk about the wand and what was going on. Cleo sat down at the kitchen table and looked forlornly at the fireplace. Narcissa was still next door at Arthur and Molly's house. It was just Ginny and Cleo in the room.

Ginny looked at Cleo. She obviously was nervous, and a little worried. Her hair was a mess as usual, actually worse than usual because the game of take the wands had messed up her hair and caused her ponytail to fall out. Cleo was wearing the ugly dress, which really didn't fit her. It was too tight on top, and Ginny could see that Cleo was developing breasts. It was also too short.

Ginny had always been pretty, and just a little vain about her appearance, despite the scars and the extra weight she was carrying. Cleo was never a natural beauty, and besides feeling abandoned, she felt ugly, which did not help her appearance either. It's not like she didn't care, but when Narcissa or Astoria tried to correct her or help her she became very defensive, and she could get touchy when other people tried to help as well.

Ginny went over to Cleo and said, "Let us see if we can make that dress look any better." She took Cleo back to her bedroom. Ginny tried to see what Cleo's figure was like, but with ill-fitting clothes on it was hard. She had noticed a label on the dress that said Fanny's Fat Fashions; Cleo wasn't exactly fat. …

Ginny said, "Cleo, I really hate to ask you, but could you take off the dress. It just doesn't fit you, and I need to see you to see how to alter the clothes."

"You might as well see my fat body," Cleo said. "All the women at the Malfoy house keep telling me I'm fat."

Ginny looked at Cleo. Her knickers did not fit her hips, which were large. In the back her bum was large too, but the lower legs were not fat, and neither were her arms. She had a bit of a tummy, but really quite a narrow waist for as big as her hips were. She was also quite obviously developing on top, and should be wearing a bra instead of just the singlet she was wearing.

Ginny used her wand to alter dress so it fit better. It was tough to make that dress look good. She also tried to get control of the hair, something that was beginning to look like it was as easy as keeping Harry's hair neat, that is, impossible. They ended up with it back in the ponytail, but looking less out of control, and Ginny gave her a charm to help control the hair as well. The fringe was just a disaster, and Ginny asked if Cleo would like to grow her hair out instead of having the hair short in front. Cleo said she would try anything, so Ginny made the fringe the same length as the rest of her hair, pulling it all back.

While they were doing all this Ginny said, "I've worked with Lily and Rose on how to dress. They have different shapes, so they look good in different clothes. You have a different shape too, but it's a nice shape."

"I'm fat and dark and ugly," Cleo said.

"You are not fat and ugly, and you are dark but there is nothing wrong with that," Ginny said.

"Everybody in the Malfoy house says I'm dark and fat and ugly," Cleo said.

"Most of the people in the Malfoy house are unnaturally thin, not that they are bad looking or there is anything wrong with being thin," Ginny said. "I have taken Rose shopping for clothes as well as Lily, Cleo. Rose's mother really does not have the patience to go clothes shopping with a girl who is so concerned with colours, and having everything make some sort of fashion statement, as Rose. We can get you better clothes tomorrow."

"As long as we don't have to go to Fanny's Fat Fashions," said Cleo. "I would LOVE to have YOU helping me look not so ugly."

"You are not ugly, Cleo," Ginny said. "We just need to find you clothes that flatter your figure."

Finally Cleo said "I love the smell of your hair, Mrs. Potter. I am using the shampoo that Mrs. Malfoy got for me, and it just reminds me that I was abandoned there. I don't want to smell like you, I do not really know what I want, but there must be something better."

Ginny said, "Maybe we can work on something here that you would like better. Would you like to develop your own scent?"

Cleo got excited and said, "Could you help me with that! I really like it when a girl has a scent that says her, and it is right for her. Some of them have good shampoo smells that are just right, others have shampoo that is kind of OK for any girl sort of, and a few have shampoo that just is not quite them. Even some boys are like that. I can tell when a boy borrows a girls shampoo or when a girl borrows a boy's shampoo. I like smells! That would be wonderful!"

Cleo then took a good look around the room. "This room looks like you, and sort of looks like your shampoo!" she said.

Ginny was surprised and said, "The decorator and I tried to make our bedroom back at Grimmauld place look like my scent, and then we duplicated it here. You are the first person to notice. That's fantastic, Cleo."

Cleo said, "I can see why Mr. Potter likes this scent. It probably smells a lot like early summer at the Burrow, with an overtone of your mother's cooking. I can smell just a touch of what your mother's kitchen smells like! The room and the scent kind of remind you of spring leading into a summer of ...I do not know… just nice."

Ginny said, "You are just amazing, Cleo. You ought to help other girls develop their own shampoo scents!"

Cleo replied, "I'd like that!"

Ginny told Cleo that her scent books and supplies were back at Grimmauld Place, but that she would get something for Cleo before the end of Christmas Break.

Back in the kitchen Cleo said, "Thank you for all the help, Mrs. Potter. The girls in the dorm have tried a little, but I feel much better. I still do not feel pretty, but I guess I feel a little less ugly."

"You are not ugly, Cleo," said Ginny. "You are a girl who has not had enough mothering, who just needs a little help to look more put together. Mostly you need more confidence in yourself. Your best friends are the smartest students in the school, and you are doing an excellent job of keeping up with them. I'm so proud of you, and I hardly know you."

"Oh, thank you, Mrs. Potter," said Cleo. "I am so glad Al and Rose sat with us on the way to Hogwarts! I'm so glad they are my friends. Al is the nicest person I think I have ever met!"

Ginny remembered writing to Al asking what Cleo was like, and him answering back that she was sort of exuberant, and had a tendency to speak in underlines and exclamation points. Ginny thought that Al had done a reasonably good job of describing Cleo, although Cleo was rather subdued at the moment.

"Is he your boyfriend, Cleo?" asked Ginny. She thought of the prophecies, the tapestry, and how natural Al and Cleo looked together.

Cleo looked at Ginny with a little panic in her face. How was she going to describe her relationship to Albus? On the one hand she was sure she was going to spend the rest of her life with him, and have lots of children with him. On the other hand she was almost twelve, and Al was eleven, and they had no business being that close. Besides, this was Albus's MOTHER!

"Al's not EXACTLY a boyfriend, Mrs. Potter," she said as she leaned forward and put her elbow in the butter dish. Cleo looked at her elbow and said in a very small voice, "I'm sorry."

Ginny looked at Cleo and the elbow in the butter dish and remembered herself at almost eleven putting her elbow in a butter dish in front of Harry Potter. "Oh my," thought Ginny. She did a quick spell to clean up the butter, trying to suppress laughing but with a big smile on her face.

"I'm only eleven, well, almost twelve now, way too young to have a boyfriend," said Cleo. "But if I had one, he would be it."

"When is your birthday?" asked Ginny.

"Christmas," said Cleo. "I do not tell anyone because you can never have a birthday party or anything special on Christmas. Besides Scorpius' mother hates me, and everything is very hard for his grandmother. I feel sorry for her. Grandmother has been fighting with the great-grandmothers too. It's real tense in the Malfoy house."

Cleo felt sorry for Narcissa? Ginny had to think about this for a while. Meanwhile, Cleo just kept looking at the fireplace. It was obvious to Ginny that Al had a girlfriend. Well, in all honesty it looked like Cleo was a lot more than just Al's girlfriend. Actually, if any two young people were soulmates it would be Al and Cleo, but, but, but …

Meanwhile, Harry and Al went up to the headmistress's office, and Harry looked at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. "Hello Albus, I have a question for you," said Harry.

"Hello Harry, Hello Albus Severus Potter, Severus, wake up and meet the son that Harry Potter named after us," said Dumbledore.

"Albus Severus, I see you are in Slytherin, and making us proud! And you have your Grandmother Lily's eyes. If you are as kind as your grandmother you will make us all proud of you," said the portrait of Severus Snape.

Dumbledore then said, "What is your question, Harry?"

Harry said to Al, "Tell Professor Dumbledore how you got the wand you are using, and show it to him."

Al told the story and showed the wand to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore then said, "Harry, you must be here because of the wand. You know that the wand chooses the wizard. My old wand has chosen your son Albus Severus as its new master. I did wonder when you put it back if that wand would be content to stay in my hands forever. You did not want it, and therefore you did the right thing by putting it back in my hands. Now I think you would do the right thing by honouring that wand's choice and letting its new master keep it. Not that I think you have much choice in the matter."

"Is that safe?" asked Harry. He thought of the prophecies, that he would give the Elder Wand to his son, and that his son would face the same sort of dangers he had faced as a child.

Dumbledore said, "Letting an eleven-year-old boy possess the oldest and most powerful wand in the world, the wand that was ancient when Merlin used it, the Elder Wand, the Deathstick? There is nothing safe at all about that wand. I did not say anything about it being easy, or safe.

"Harry, do you remember when you were eleven, the Philosopher's Stone?"

Harry said, "Yes."

"Do you remember your second year, the Chamber of Secrets?" asked the portrait.

Harry said, "I know what you are getting at! There is no need to go through all seven years leading up to the Battle of Hogwarts. This is not exactly reassuring."

Albus, or the painting of Albus Dumbledore, looked at Harry, then at Al, then back at Harry. "Should I have told you to stay safe instead of doing what is right?"

"Professor Dumbledore, what are you saying?" asked Harry. Harry did not like where this discussion was heading.

The Dumbledore portrait said to Harry, "I am not involved in what is happening, Harry. I am just a portrait, and although I know most of what Albus Dumbledore knew, I do not know anything else except what I am told. I cannot leave these portraits."

"You do not know why Albus has this wand?" asked Harry.

"No, Harry," said the portrait. "The world has moved on beyond me."

Dumbledore then looked at Albus Potter and said, "Albus are you at all scared after what you just heard?"

Al looked down, looked up at the portrait, looked at the wand, and said, "I think I'm a little scared all the time, because people have tried to kill me. The wand does not make me more scared. I'm kind of resigned to my fate."

Albus looked at the wand some more, and looked at Albus Dumbledore in the painting, and Harry waited. Albus finally said, "I knew it was a powerful wand, and I knew it chose me. Maybe I sort of suspected that it could be your old wand, but I tried not to think of it. Mostly it just feels like it should be my wand! I want to make the world better. What do I have to do so it's a good wand, not a death stick?"

Dumbledore replied "You have three good friends. Tell them everything, listen to their advice, and keep them close to you. Your father did that with your Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione, and then with your mother and several other friends. Tom Riddle chose power over love, as did the wizard I took that wand from. Your father has chosen love over power. I can predict that you will have plenty of power. Choose love."

"Yes, sir," said Al. "What if I don't want a lot of power? I want to be a good person. I don't want to use the wand to become bad!"

Albus said, "Just try to always do the good thing, the right thing, not always the easy thing. And Albus, power will probably come to you. What is important is how you handle it."

"But what if I make a mistake?" Albus said.

"We all make mistakes, Albus," Dumbledore said. "I made some very big ones in my life."

"I made the some really big mistakes too," Severus Snape said. "Try your best to be good. That is all anyone can ask."

Al looked at his father. "This was your wand? You did say that you would give me any wand that chose me, but you have not given me this wand. Here," and Albus handed the wand over to his father, "this is the wand that I want, but I would really appreciate it if you would give it to me." Albus suddenly had a big sinking feeling in his stomach. 'What if his father did not give him back the wand? What if his dad broke it or hid it or … this was the wand that felt right!' Albus waited, and waited, … and waited.

Harry looked at the wand, the one that was so powerful that he did not think he could safely handle it. Everything he had heard about this wand made him more aware of its age and power. He thought of the prophecies. Al was probably going to be in danger, with or without this wand. It was just that in giving Al the wand he was reinforcing all the dangerous prophecies. Albus actually having the wand was bad enough, but giving it back to him, allowing him to give the wand to his son, this was everything he thought he would never do.

Harry was terrified.

Harry looked at his eleven-year-old son, and though of Albus Dumbledore all those years ago letting Harry Potter have the Invisibility Cloak and face all those dangers. Facing dangers yourself was easy compared to this. He knew what he ought to do, but that did not make it any easier. Harry knew, especially after meeting his parents and others during the Battle of Hogwarts, that he believed in life after death. He had never quite joined the Wizard Christian Church, but he believed in prayer. He stood there for a couple of minutes, finally thinking, 'Lord, whatever powers of good there are, please help me make the right decision.'

Harry waited for an answer, some sign, some token, something to keep the decision from being his and his alone, but it did not come.

Harry felt the wand again, trying to feel if it felt like his wand, like a wand that had chosen him. It didn't really feel like his wand, but it felt like it was his wand to give to Albus, and, he could not tell why or how he felt that way, but it did feel like his son's wand.

Harry really did not want to give Albus back his wand, but it felt so much like it was his wand, Albus Severus Potter's wand, that Harry did not think he had a choice.

Finally Harry said, "Albus Severus Potter, take this wand, and make it a life stick not a death stick. Thank you for letting me give this to you. And let's keep this part secret for now."

Albus breathed a great big sigh of relief, and told his father, "Yes, father, I will not tell anyone. And thank you for the wand. I will do my best to be worthy of it, and you."

Harry looked at Albus and worried. Well, in all honesty he was very close to panic. He was used to facing danger, even though his life had been relatively safe the last few years. Facing his own mortality was not all that hard, having died once and finding it very peaceful. But he knew that Al with this wand was not exactly a formula for a quiet safe life, and allowing your eleven-year-old son to face the kind of dangers he had to face frankly terrified Harry.

Al looked at Severus Snape, and asked, "Professor Snape, could you help me, us, with some problems we are having in Slytherin? The Prefects and some other pure-blood Magi are really nasty to anyone not of pure blood, and anyone who does not support the old pure-blood cause. It is causing a lot of problems."

Snape asked, "What do you want me to do, Albus Severus? I'm just a painting. It is not like I can go with you to talk to anyone."

"Could I bring people up here to talk to you?" Al asked.

"You would have to get the Headmistress's permission," Snape said. "Let me talk to Professor Dumbledore and some of the other Headmasters and Headmistresses. See me after you are back in school a couple of weeks."

"Yes, sir," Albus said.

"Are you good in Potions, Albus," Professor Snape asked.

Albus said, "Yes, Professor. I've been helping Dad since I was five. Cleopatra, she is, well, she just is, she is exceptional. She can smell and feel what to do to make a potion better. She's just amazing, totally, but she cannot tell you why to do it that way. You have to get inside her mind, now, that's really strange, to see what she is doing. But I can usually explain it. Except we have a bad teacher this year, so it's hard. I think I would have liked to be in your class.

"I'd like to know you better because some people, they think it was bad for Dad to name me after you, but I want to be able to tell people why he did it, and that I sort of know you from your portrait, and that you were really a good guy."

"You give me too much credit, Mr Potter," Snape said. "I was not always good, and even when I tried very hard to be good I was not always nice. I would never have named a son James, or Harry. Your father giving you my name as a middle name proves that he is a much better man than I am. Imitate your father, not me."

Al said, "Yes, Professor Snape.

"If it is all right with you I would still like your help with Slytherin."

"Mr Potter," Snape said, "I think you can trust my namesake, and Albus's, with that wand."

"I hope so," Harry said. "I do not think there is any way I could, or would want to, get it back."

Harry looked at the portrait of Dumbledore and said, "I think I will tell Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and maybe show the wand and its new master to Ollivander as well, plus Al's friends have to know. No one else at this point. Is that wise, not too many people not too few?" asked Harry.

"I think you have chosen wisely, Harry, although I doubt it will stay secret for long," said Dumbledore, and he closed his eyes to indicate that the interview was over.

Cleo smiled. "Mr. Potter gave Al the wand!" she said, and then let out a big sigh.

"How did you know?" Ginny asked Cleo.

Cleo looked at Ginny nervously, and finally said in a small voice, "I just knew."

"What wand is this?" Ginny asked Cleo.

"The wand that came to Albus when his was broken," Cleo said.

Ginny pondered this. It was beginning to look like Cleo was more than just Al's girlfriend, something not reassuring when you were dealing with children of eleven and twelve. Soulmate? At eleven and twelve? NO!

A short time later Cleo giggled. "What is funny?" Ginny asked Cleo.

"Albus just said some nice things about me," Cleo said. "I do not know what, but I could sort of feel it."

Ginny thought about the original Romeo and Juliet, about the Chinese couple who had started living together when they were younger than Al and Cleo, and some of the other soulmate stories she had heard. Ginny was close to being terrified.

Harry and Al walked silently back to the Hogwarts kitchen and took the Floo back to the house. Harry told Ginny and Cleo to go to the library with Al and wait. He found Rose and Scorpius in the library and told them to stay there. Ron and Hermione were over at Arthur and Molly's house, but he soon found them and had them come to the library as well. When they were all in the library Harry had Al show everybody the wand.

"Blimey, is that the wand I think it is?" asked Ron.

"Where did you get that wand?" asked Hermione.

Harry said, "Tell the story again, Al," and he told the story again, with confirmation from Scorpius and Rose. Cleo was by this time thoroughly intimidated, and kept quiet.

Harry then said, "I took Al over to Dumbledore's portrait, and he confirmed that the Elder Wand, the Deathstick, Merlin's wand, has chosen Al to be its new master."

Cleo squeaked, "Oh Al, Mr. Potter, is that safe?"

Harry said, "Cleo, I asked the same question. No, it's not safe. There is nothing at all safe about an eleven-year-old owning and using the most powerful wand in the world. Al needs good friends like you, Rose, and Scorpius Malfoy, and in choosing to be Al's friends you are choosing the good but not the safe. I'm sorry. It was not particularly safe for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Potter to be my friends when I was eleven to seventeen at Hogwarts, and Mrs. Potter can show you the scars she still has from that horrible time, as can Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"I am going to ask you all to swear not to tell anyone else, with a magical binding so you cannot, until the word gets out some other way. Once it is reported that Al has the Elder Wand you will all be released from secrecy." Harry then did the Secret-Keeping Ceremony.

The parents left, but the four friends stayed behind. "Are you scared, Al?" asked Cleo.

Albus said, "People have tried to kill me, and there are prophecies that people think point at me. That scares me. This wand does not make me any more scared.

"Dumbledore said the wand chose me, and I do not think I have any choice. Are any of you scared?"

Rose and Scorpius nodded their heads, but then Scorpius said, "We are with you no matter what, Al."

Cleo said, "It's a little like flying fast and far with you on your broom. It's scary, but a good kind of scary, and as long as I'm with you I feel safe!"

The four friends promised not to tell anyone. When they came out together all the cousins asked what all that was about. They said that Al's wand skills were so good his dad just needed to talk to him and to everybody else about them, but that everything was all right. He still had his wand. He was just going to be careful how he used his skill, and his friends were going to have to help remind him. He was also not to let anyone else touch the wand because of the way that wand had bound itself to Al.

Most of the cousins suspected there was a lot more than that to the scene they had just witnessed, and they all looked at the wand very carefully. One of them had a Chocolate Frog Card with Dumbledore's picture on it, with his wand. It took less than an hour for the cousins to figure out that Al had Dumbledore's old wand, or a wand that looked a lot like it.

Ginny took Harry aside and said, "As soon as you gave Albus the wand Cleo knew. What is going on between those two?"

"Let's ask them," Harry said. He remembered the prophecies about Albus and Cleopatra. He found Al and Cleo, who were with the cousins, and said, "Could you two come into the office with Al's Mum and me." Al and Cleo followed Harry and Ginny into the office.

Ginny looked at the two children and said, "When Mr. Potter gave Al the wand you knew, Cleo. How? What is going on between you two?"

"I could just feel it!" Cleo said. "Al was SOOO relieved."

"How?" Ginny asked.

Cleo looked at Albus and thought _what do we do now_ ' Al could sense in Cleo the colours and music that spelled concern, not exactly fright but close.

 _We tell the truth_ , Albus thought back.

 _YOU, please_ , Cleo thought, and Al could see and hear the tension that Cleo was feeling. There was ominous music running in the background of Cleo's thoughts

Albus took a deep breath and said, "You know I have some skills in Legilimency. Well, it is sort of like that, but a lot more."

Ginny, who had been looking intently at the couple said, "You were just communicating right now."

Al and Cleo nodded their heads.

"Just by thinking?" Ginny asked.

"Sort of," Al said. "We can get into each other's heads and kind of see what the other is thinking, and communicate back and forth. It's real strange. Cleopatra is such a different person, and her mind works in a totally different way. I never realized how different people could be inside. I mean, you can't really be inside another's head, can you? Except with Cleo and me we sort of, kind of can."

"Al is SO logical," Cleo said. "His mind is almost like a library with facts neatly filed away, and he can write down what he is thinking and that is really almost what he IS thinking."

"What are you like, Cleo?" asked Ginny.

Cleo said, "Well, you know like in a movie when the hero and heroine meet; and there is music, and then with a good cinematographer sometimes the focus is a little off and the colours are, oh, I don't know but just right, and then you move into the, well, the start of the adventures, except with Al and me you need the right music and the right colours and, well, that's probably not a very good way to, oh, Al, help!"

Ginny looked at Cleo, then Harry, then back at Cleo, and said, "Cinnamon-what-for?" Both Al and Cleo could see total confusion on Harry and Ginny's faces.

"The music?" asked Al. "Maybe if you play the music that is you and me."

Cleo took out her keyboard. "I can't play the colours, or the smells, or the feelings, and of course this is only Al and me, sort of. Maybe you can explain."

Albus said, "The first notes are Cleo. It is sort of like a recorder, except it's a recorder with a very large range, a recorder is all wood and natural and just has an earthier sound than a metal flute, that's really Cleo, and then woodwinds, and then the strings are me. The bass strings are you, with the same notes over and over, not boring but the solid foundation, your love Mum and Dad, that give me that strength for everything else, and then the strings, and, well, you will just have to listen."

Cleo started to play. As always the first notes were about ninety percent idyllic childhood and ten percent terror. Al was a rather conventional Pachelbel, except there was something in the high strings to indicate a tension, something going on, a future conflict or dissonance that was going to have to be resolved. Cleo's notes lost the terror but lost the idyllic as well, a difficult but productive time. Harry and Ginny were sure they were hearing the two children growing up.

It was clear that the two melodies were two distinct melodies, two totally different things that happened to blend well. Suddenly there was a change, and the two melodies changed. They did not lose their identities, but they merged, and Harry and Ginny could tell that what was being created was the start of something very much more than the two individual songs, an amazing, exciting and somehow frightening symphony.

And then the music stopped, very incomplete.

Harry and Ginny looked at each other, stunned. The gripped their hands tightly together, at loss for words. Even rational thought was difficult at first.

"We only have so many words to describe things, Mum, Dad," Al said. "Elves have different words, and they can describe different things, they can think about relationships in a way that English speakers, the speakers of all of the languages of the Magi, can't. The elves have some words for what Cleo and I are, and the sorting hat called us soulmates, but nothing does a good job of really describing it.

"Cleo's music comes the closest, except when I hear it I hear her as well, the colours, the overtones and shades of emotion she is trying to convey, the smells, sometimes Cleo thinks in smells, and even some of the frustration when what she has played isn't wrong exactly but isn't exactly right either."

"You don't think in words?" Harry asked Cleo.

"Words have different colours, and sometimes the same word has different colours and, some words and things have scents," Cleo said. "Well, it's hard to describe, except that the world is a VERY exciting, colourful, music filled, scent filled place and it just takes ALL of me to begin to take in ALL the wonder that is in the world.

"And right in the middle of it is ALBUS POTTER, Oh my!"

Cleo looked at Albus with that look of wonder and adoration and pure amazement at her good fortune that said way more than words could ever convey.

Ginny panicked.

"CLEO, ALBUS, You're CHILDREN. This isn't right. It can't be right. It's like you are married or more, but you CANNOT BE. It feels like … it feels like … it feels like it ought to feel wrong." Ginny then said in a very quiet voice, almost a whisper, "It just feels like it ought to feel wrong."

"It IS a problem," said Albus very quietly. "That doesn't mean it's not right, really right, but it's a problem too."

Cleo started to sob. "I'm big and fat and dark and ugly and I don't fit in with the Malfoy's and I thought I might fit in here, I mean Al and me, but maybe I don't fit in here either. If this is not right what IS? I didn't ask to be this way, I just AM! And Al and me, it just WAS. It wasn't that it happened, but it just WAS. It IS. WHAT do I do now?"

Ginny looked at Cleo, who looked somewhat lost, and suddenly she had nothing but sympathy for this complicated, talented, somewhat frightened girl. Cleo needed her love just like Harry did, needed the love of a family, and in the end Cleo needed the love of a good man, too. There was a small love seat in the office, and Ginny went to Cleo, and had the two of them sit on the love seat. When they were both seated Ginny held Cleo and said, "You are very welcome here, Cleo. I don't understand what is going on between you and Albus, and it frightens me, but we are just going to have to learn to accept it."

Ginny looked at Harry, who nodded his approval of what Ginny had said. She then looked at Albus, who said quietly, "Thank you, Mum."

Cleo tried to feel, see, smell, sense what was going on. Holding on to Ginny it was obvious that Ginny was confused and frightened by what she had heard and sensed, but that Ginny was a loving person. Ginny loved Albus, and Ginny was beginning to love her. Ginny's world was just changing rapidly on her, at least that part of the world that revolved around Albus, and she was scared, scared for Albus but also for her.

Harry was trying to understand what was going on. _What is your dad thinking_ Cleo thought to Albus as she looked at Harry.

Al looked at his father. Harry was thinking of all the prophecies, and of all the things he had been seeing and hearing about over the last years. He was trying to understand what was going on, and what he needed to do right now. He wasn't coming up with any good answers, any action plan, either.

Cleo looked at everybody pondering what to do next, and she finally said, "Everybody is trying to think about what to DO, like life is a series of tests with right and wrong answers, and nobody is looking at the colours and smells and feelings and, just being here, and, the just goodness and beauty of being without worrying about what to DO, cause we can't DO anything about it right now anyway, we just ARE."

Harry said, "We just wait. And while we wait we love each other."

"OH, YES, MR. Potter," Cleo said and she got up from the couch next to Ginny and went over to Harry and pulled him up and gave him the biggest almost Molly Weasley hug.

"The scene is coming to an end with EVERYBODY LOVING EVERYBODY. Oh the story still has its scary moments but that I'M PART OF THE BASS LINE, THE LOVE, OH thank you Mr. and Mrs. Potter, THANK YOU.

"YES! YES!" and Cleo took Albus by the hand and they walked out of the room.

"Oh, my," Harry and Ginny said in unison as they looked at each other, stunned by what had just happened, and then Ginny said, "I …, I guess Cleo is part of the family from now on."

Ginny paused and looked at Harry, and he looked back at her, both pondering what had just happened.

"This is CRAZY!" said Ginny.

"And scary, real scary," said Harry. "I would like to feel the whole situation, the wand, Al and Cleo, is wrong, but I can't. The scariest thing about it is that it feels right. Scary as hell, but right."

"They are going to have adventures, aren't they, Harry," Ginny said. "Dangerous adventures. They may be hurt. We may even lose one or both of them."

"Probably."

"How long have you known?"

"This mental connection, never. That both were important and may be connected. Looking back at what I have seen and been told I can see how some things were leading up to this, but none of it was at all clear until …"

Harry looked at Ginny with obvious concern, and then said, "Nothing is clear NOW! I'm pretty sure Cleo has to confront her great grandmother to get the other wand, but when and how and, before just now I would have said I didn't know if Albus was going to be involved, but I'm pretty sure Albus is going to be very involved with anything that has to do with Cleopatra.

"I'm going to have to ask Dumbledore how he knew what to do with me, except I'm pretty sure he is going to say that lots of times he didn't know. Only Albus is my son, our flesh and blood. Ginny, I've been worried about Albus since the first prophesies, but now I'm terrified. I don't have any idea what to do."

Ginny said, "I feel like Dumbledore's unseen wife, someone who has no idea what has been going on. I feel like my mother going into the Battle of Hogwarts knowing that she had already lost a son and may lose everyone and everything. HARRY! What do we do?"

"Love, wait, maybe pray," Harry said. "Your friendship with Cleo is going to be very important! Just love."

"Donna Lionheart went through years of counselling trying to learn how to 'just love.' I'm going to talk to mum. Tell me everything you know about those two as you find out, even when you are just guessing, please, Harry! I don't want to be in the dark like I was before the Battle of Hogwarts."

"What did you learn at Hogwarts? Who did you talk to, and what did they say?"

Harry said, "I talked to Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. Professor Dumbledore reminded me about my years at Hogwarts, something that was not at all reassuring. Both agreed that the wand was now Albus'.

"He told Albus to keep his friends close."

Ginny said, "I'm taking Cleo clothes shopping tomorrow. I will probably learn a lot more about her tomorrow."

Victoire was almost positive Albus had the Elder Wand, so she took her wand out and brought up the display and keyboard for the wallet computer most of the Potter/Weasley clan always carried, and looked up the article on the Elder Wand. It had changed to say, "Harry Potter became the new master of the Elder Wand before the Battle of Hogwarts, but hid it and did not use it. Tom Riddle stole the wand, and used it at The Battle of Hogwarts. After the war it was hidden. It stayed hidden until the end of September 2017, when it was unknowingly summoned by Albus Severus Potter. It officially became Albus Potter's wand The Seventeenth of December, 2017."

"Merlin," swore Victoire. "Riddles revenge, Boggarts. Albus, look at this!"

Albus looked at the display Victoire showed him. "Oh no!" he said quietly. "Now everybody will know."

"Better tell the rest of us before I do, Albus, you little snot," Victoire said, "How in Merlin's magic did you get Uncle Harry to give you the Elder Wand?"

Albus told Victoire the story about how he unknowingly summoned "Albus's Wand." He then said, "Professor Dumbledore said it was my wand, so I gave it to Dad and asked him to give it back to me. He thought about it for a long time, and then gave it to me.

"I think Dad is scared. Maybe I ought to be, but it just feels like MY WAND."

By this time the family was large enough that the older generations, Arthur and Molly along with Andromeda Tonks, who was still staying with them, six surviving children, five spouses plus Charley's attendant, that is fifteen people plus assorted guests, ate at one table and the twelve grandchildren plus Teddy Lupin plus assorted guests ate at another. This evening Narcissa Malfoy was at the adult table. The young people's table had Scorpius, Cleo, Frank Longbottom II, and Fred Weasley's wife Miriam as well as the cousins. When dinner time came around the Chocolate Frog card was passed around and then Roxanne said to Al, "First you get your mothers extremely expensive broom, and get the Firebolt people to adjust it for you, then you get Albus Dumbledore's wand. How do you do it?

Al replied, "I just asked for the broom."

James said, "Like you asked for permission to use magic when you were six. You just push and push until you get your own way!" James was not happy that his brother was a much better negotiator. He really did feel that Al was always getting away with something.

Al said, "Both Mum and the Firebolt broom people had to agree, but I just asked nicely." He refrained from saying, "You ought to try it sometime," but he knew that one reason he got away with things that James could not get away with is that he knew how and when to ask.

Roxanne asked again, "How did you get that wand?"

Al said, "Some older boys stole my wand. I did not know it at the time, but they broke it into four pieces, and were running in four different directions to destroy the pieces. I said 'Accio Albus' wand,' that is my name, Albus, and this wand came to me. How was I to know that it was Albus Dumbledore's wand? And my dad does not want anyone else to know what wand this is."

"It's not safe," said Cleo in a little voice looking at Al, not realizing that this was probably not the most helpful remark to make at this time. All the cousins looked at her, then back at Al. Victoire looked kindly at Cleo and asked, "What do you mean it's not safe, Cleo?"

Cleo quickly looked around, and then looked at Al like maybe he could rescue her. She then said in a very rapid and flat voice, "Mr. Potter said that Dumbledore said that the wand is not safe. That it is Al's wand and that it is the one he should have, and he needs friends because the wand is not safe. I don'tknow." The, "I don't know," was said in kind of a plaintive, 'Oh help what have I got myself into,' tone of voice.

"Dumbledore told us that the wand chooses the wizard and that this wand chose me," said Al. "I can't tell you why. I did not ask for this wand. I just asked for a wand using my name. He did say this was a powerful wand, and that he did not know if it was going to be content not to be used. Please do not tell anyone else what wand this is. Dad did not want anyone else to know about it.

"And Cleo is right; Dumbledore said that I could use this wand for good, but that I needed to choose love over power, and that the wand could be good but not safe."

"What an ego trip!" said James. James did not like his younger and smaller brother overshadowing him. "Is that why you have a girlfriend, cause you need love," exaggerating the word love, "to control that fancy wand of yours."

"James!" said Victoire.

"You are really out of order, James," said Teddy.

Fred said, "Cool it, little cousin." James shut up but sulked.

Lily asked, "Al, can I see the wand?"

Al answered, "I don't think I should show it around. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been playing that game and drawing attention to myself. Please do not tell anyone else. I don't want anyone in the family in danger because of this wand. I'd hide it except it is the only wand that has ever felt right in my hand. Rose, you were with us when Mom tried to buy a wand for me."

Rose said, "He is telling the truth. He ended up using Scorpius's father's old wand, the one Scorpius has now. None of the other wands was quite right, although they all worked."

Victoire piped in, "I just looked up the Elder Wand on the Wizards World Wide Web, and it said that the Elder Wand was given to Al by Uncle Harry today! Everybody is going to know you have that wand! Look at this!" Victoire increased the size of the virtual screen of her computer so everyone at the table could read the article.

Teddy went over and took Harry aside and told him about the conversation around the dinner table. Harry recognized at once that if all the children knew about the Al and the Elder Wand they would have to tell the adults, so Harry had Al tell his story again, with Harry telling about the interview with the portrait of Dumbledore. Al really did not like being the center of attention, especially in a gathering he could not control, but he really did not have much choice. Then Victoire told them that the article on the Elder Wand on the Wizards World Wide Web already had been updated to show that Harry had given the wand to Albus. This news was upsetting to everyone at the table, Harry and Ginny especially.

Andromeda stayed at the dinner table, next to Molly and Narcissa, although she disappeared into her flat between meals. Molly told Narcissa that Andromeda usually did not leave and hide in her rooms after meals, but with all the cousins home there was a little too much chaos for her. Narcissa did spend a good portion of her time visiting with her sister.

When they were alone Narcissa told Molly how much she enjoyed finally meeting all of Molly's family at Molly's home. "It's a lot more activity than I am used to, and a little intimidating to me. It is so much more loving than our house, though. In person your family is even nicer than you describe it." Several people noticed how Molly and Narcissa seemed to be friends. A couple remembered the confrontation at the Lupin's funeral, and marveled at this friendship.

Narcissa was going to leave after dinner, leaving Scorpius and Cleo to spend the next few days with the Potters and Weasleys, but before she did she spoke to Ginny. "I hope you can talk to Cleo, Ginny. I saw that you took her aside earlier today. Our relationship has always been strained, or worse. Oh, she is fine with schoolwork, anything that has right and wrong answers that are in a book, but when it comes to anything personal, like buying her clothes or helping her know what to wear, we seem to always be fighting. She is starting to develop, and I hate the thought of helping her find a bra, or talking about growing up. She had one period before she left for school, and I though a war was about to start when I tried to explain to her what was happening. She is the cause of a lot of the tension in our house, and it is not her fault."

Ginny said, "I will see if we can get her some clothes. Do you have a budget from her parents, or should I just buy them?"

Narcissa said, "Just give me the receipts, and I can take the money out of an account her parents have set up. I guess I could even charge her parents for room and board, but we have enough money, and I do want to treat her as a guest and not just as a problem. I feel sorry for her, and sad that I was so upset with the situation the first year or two that we lost the chance to be friends. The poor girl needs a mother. She is starting to develop and I would appreciate anything you could do to help."

Ginny thought about Cleo again. When they were straightening out her clothes Ginny could see that Cleo had developed breasts, and did need undergarments, in fact should already be wearing a bra. She certainly had hips and a butt. Cleo was heavyset, not in any way obese but certainly heavy with a bit of a pot belly, but not unattractive if she could wear the right clothes.

Late that night Harry told Ginny the part that he did not tell anyone else, that Albus had given him the wand and asked if he could have it. "And you let him have it?!" said Ginny her temper beginning to flare.

"Taking that wand away from him was going to be as hard as taking the engagement ring off your hand once you got it on," said Harry reminding Ginny of the way she has "assumed" a proposal instead of waiting to be asked.

This took the wind out of Ginny's sails, and she calmed down, but they both pondered the situation. Finally Ginny said, "Harry, are you scared for Albus?"

Harry answered, "Yes. I though what I went through at Hogwarts was the worst you could ever feel, but having a child face dangers has to be worse. You feel so helpless knowing that as much as you want to you cannot always be there, cannot shield your child from all danger."

"Harry," said Ginny "He's only eleven."

"The same age I was when I went to Hogwarts and started facing dangers," said Harry.

"Oh Harry," said Ginny. "James gets hurt, and all this with Al. What about Lily? Is the world going to be safe for our little one?" Ginny almost automatically reached for where she could feel the new life growing in her, as if touching the outside could somehow help.

"I am too, Ginny," said Harry. "What can we do? I do not know what happened with James.

"The wand chose Albus. He is trying so hard to be good, and a good wizard. We have to trust. It could not hurt to say a few prayers."

Ginny told Harry about her discussion with Narcissa. Harry said he would try and find out more about Cleo. Harry and Ginny did not sleep very well that night.


	18. CH 17 New Clothes for Cleopatra

CH 17 New Clothes for Cleopatra

More changes by both FriendofMolly and Arnel, my excellent Beta readers. Cleo meets Luna, and tries playing a little Quidditch.

* * *

The next day the weather was not much better. Rose and Scorpius were engaged in a discussion about the history of magic and certain spells, and they were going back and forth from the library at the New Burrow to the library at twelve Grimmauld Place to Rose's house next door at thirteen Grimmauld Place, with books in both a large library and in the upstairs office, looking up stuff. Ron was back working at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, so he did not notice that Rose and Scorpius were spending time together without Al and Cleo. Right before and after Christmas were some of the busiest times of the year at the shop, and Ron was usually over there helping.

Al and Cleo were in the kitchen talking to Ginny about scents, and Ginny told them that she would take both of them to a scent shop in Diagon Alley where they could buy the beginning shampoo scent making kits. Al was both fascinated by the conversation between his mother and Cleo, and very proud of Cleo's new skill. Cleo really was good at practical magic, wand work, and potions. If she had less book knowledge she had all the right instincts, and more than anything she needed self-confidence and the assurance that she was loved. Al was becoming an expert in reassuring Cleo on both fronts, and to Ginny's amazement she was as well.

Ginny, Al, and Cleo went to Diagon Alley together, and when they walked out of the scent shop with six packages of women and men's scent and shampoo making supplies Ginny was again amazed at Al's negotiating skills. She had every intention of buying just the Beginners Scent Making Kit for Young Girls, and instead had purchased enough supplies, spells, and books to allow someone to set up a rather sophisticated shampoo and perfume business. The frustrating thing was that Al could do this and make you glad you did it. How in the world had Al talked her out of her Firebolt?! Well, she had not flown since she had been hurt all those years ago, but she had never really given up thinking that maybe someday she would fly again.

Thank goodness Harry never really cared about how much money she spent, because all these scent and shampoo making supplies was more expensive than all the children's Christmas presents together, for the last two or three years! For someone she hardly knew, Al's little girlfriend. And she was happy she did it! Well, Cleo wasn't that little, thought Ginny. She's taller than I am, and heavier, Ginny thought.

Ginny sent Al home with all the scent-making supplies and took Cleo shopping for "girl stuff." After Al was gone, Ginny went into Weasley's Wizard Wheeze's and borrowed George's private office for a chat with Cleo.

Ginny said, "I really did not want to talk about private, feminine things with Albus around, Cleo. He doesn't need to be part of a discussion on feminine undergarments and such."

Cleo nodded her acceptance.

"You are developing, and are big enough on top that we need to get you bras," Ginny said. "I do not know how big you are going to get, but there is a shop, Mother Minerva's, that has a good foundations department. We need to start there. Is that all right with you, Cleo?"

"Yes, Mrs. Potter," Cleo said.

"We will get Rose and Lily Luna after we have your undergarments," Ginny said. "I know both of them want to go clothes shopping with you."

"I know Rose wants to help me find nicer clothes," Cleo said. "I will do anything you say. I am so grateful for your help."

"Do you have any more questions about the changes your body is going through?" Ginny asked.

"Rose is full of facts, and she gave us, Scorpius and me, a rather thorough lesson on sex, and the differences between boys and girls, but it was all sort of academic," Cleo said. "She cannot imagine actually doing what you do to make babies, because it seems private and maybe not very sanitary. I think maybe it is because she is still not started to develop.

"I would like it if I could talk to you. I don't know why, but I've never been able to talk about my body changing with Mrs. Malfoy. She really tries, but there are some personal things we just cannot seem to talk about. After I had my first period she sent me a BOOK. Life isn't just facts."

"Feel free to talk to me at any time," Ginny said. "When you are back at Hogwarts you can write to me, and if it is important I can even go to Hogwarts to talk to you."

"I miss my mother," Cleo said, the tears starting to come. "I do not know why I cannot talk to Mrs. Malfoy, except, even after she started to kiss me good night, and I call her Grandmum Malfoy, but there is a reserve about her, and she is still Mrs. Malfoy and not, oh, I don't know, my mother. What is wrong with me?" By this time the tears were just pouring out. "I need a MOTHER to talk to."

"I know I cannot take the place of your mother, but I will do the best I can," Ginny said. "You could call me Mum Potter, if that would help."

"Mum Potter?" Cleo said, and she got sort of a smile, although the tears were still coming. "Mum Potter, I like that. I NEED that. Thank you."

Cleo nodded, and hugged Ginny, and eventually got control of her emotions.

Ginny thought she sort of knew what her mother felt like after The Battle of Hogwarts, when so many things changed so quickly, she and Harry getting engaged within a couple of weeks and married on her seventeenth birthday, Angelina sleeping with George and then getting pregnant that summer, the Burrow being destroyed and then building the big New Burrow with Harry paying for it, among all the other changes. It had been too much too fast.

Cleo had worked her way into Ginny's heart as thoroughly as any of her biological children, and she was going to have to be Mum to this complicated soulmate of her son. It didn't matter that she was totally unprepared for this challenge; she was going to be Mum to Cleo.

Cleo looked at Mother Minerva. She was old, and her face showed it. She was also close to being as big around on the bottom as Molly Weasley, and significantly bigger around on top than Molly or any other witch that was not really obese she had ever seen.

Ginny said, "Mother Minerva, I am taking over helping a family friend, Cleopatra, with clothes shopping. She is developing, and the first thing we need is some good bras that will grow with her."

"Let's go into a private cubicle so I can examine you, young lady," Mother Minerva said. Once they were in the room she did a number of spells, some that seemed to be looking at all of her, others that concentrated on her bust or her hips. Finally she brought out a rather plain white bra. "You are already a rather full A, young lady," she said, "but if my examination is correct you are going to get a lot bigger in a hurry. This bra will grow four more sizes, although once you are three sizes bigger I really want you back in here. We can do a lot with bras that expand, but not that much."

Cleo had the biggest smile on her face, and she said, "I'm really going to get THAT BIG? How am I going to look if I get all four sizes bigger?"

Mother Minerva said a spell, and the bra expanded to its maximum size. It had become a rather large contraption.

Cleo wiggled back and forth, and touched the far reaches of the bra. "It's like Grandmum Weasley, like a MOTHER, like a big, comfortable, you can get lost in the comfort of that bosom, super motherly FEMALE shape.

"I do not know why. Maybe it is because my mother is curvy, or something. I do not really remember my mother, but any female who is big on top just makes me think of mothers. I always associated love with being big and maybe sort of fat but curvy and motherly on top and on bottom."

"I can get you bras that minimize how big you are on top," Mother Minerva said.

"Why?" asked Cleo. "Boys are going to look at my fat body anyway, and I'd rather look like a female, motherly, sort of person than just a fat one."

Ginny thought that boys would probably not think of babies if Cleo was going to get that big around on top, maybe doing what makes babies, but not the nine month later result. At least Cleo seemed to be happy with her expanding shape.

Mother Minerva shrunk the bra back to its original shape.

"Will you please do that again?" asked Cleo. Mother Minerva expanded and shrunk the bra again, and then Cleo did it.

"It's like a charm, sort of a power spell instead of a transformation spell," Cleo said. "The fabric is there, just hidden."

"That's right," Mother Minerva said. "You need enough fabric for the article of clothing at its maximum size or there can be problems. You should have five of these bras.

"Some clothes show a little more chest, so you should have a bra that doesn't cover quite so much." She brought out a bra that covered the bottom half and more of Cleo, but showed some bust and cleavage.

"Oh, I like that!" Cleo said. She chose two of those bras, one nicely padded, and a very thin one that really didn't hide much of anything. Cleo expanded and shrunk those as well.

They also purchased a week's worth of knickers, shaped to her very large hips and thighs, but also shaped for her reasonably narrow waist, and another five for when she had her period, all that would expand as her hips grew.

"My hips are going to get THAT big?" Cleo asked.

Mother Minerva said, "You are always going to be several inches bigger around your hips than your bust."

Mother Minerva told Ginny how to shop for clothes, and that the bust and hip of everything should be purchased too big and shrunk down with spells that would allow the article of clothing to grow back as Cleo grew and changed.

When they were done Mother Minerva said, "Mrs. Potter you are going to need new undergarments too. Congratulations on your pregnancy."

"I am getting really big really fast," Ginny said. "I will see you first thing tomorrow."

They took the Floo back to Potter's New Burrow to pick up Rose and Lily Luna then went to Missy Malkin's Modern Muggle Clothing. Ginny had the analysis from Mother Minerva showing how Cleo's shape was going to develop, which was good. Almost all of the clothes in the shop could be purchased so they would change shape as you changed shape, but knowing how you would change made finding clothes, and doing the right spells, easier.

"I want a dress that shows I'm a girl, not a BLOB," Cleo said.

Ginny had to admit that the one dress from Fanny's Fat Fashions did sort of make Cleo look like a blob. They started with a dress. Rose and Lily tried to pick out clothes and colours that were fashionable, and Cleo mostly went along with them. She insisted on a wand pocket and two other practical pockets for the dress, however, something that made the dress practical, but much less fashionable.

As Cleo was looking at the dresses she said, "You can tell where there is extra hidden fabric. The colour of the dress is different."

"It doesn't look any different to me." Rose said. "Look at yourself in the mirror."

Cleo went over to a triple mirror and looked at herself. She looked at the dress she was wearing. Then, puzzled, she said, "I cannot see the hidden parts of the dress, the other colours, in the mirror. When I look directly at the dress I can see where all the hidden fabric is." This phenomena was true for all the clothes; the areas that could expand looked different to Cleo, but only Cleo, when she looked at them directly, but not when she looked at them through a mirror.

They bought a couple of skirts that were fitted enough around Cleo's waist that they emphasized her hourglass shape. They were not exactly what you would see in the fashion magazines, but Rose thought they would do. Cleo looked pleased, and then said, "We just need to add the pockets."

"Pockets are going to ruin the style!" Rose said.

"Pockets are practical," Cleo said. "I NEED pockets."

Rose and the sales witch fussed with the placement of the pockets until Rose was resigned to their placement. Cleo wore one of the skirt and blouse outfits while they finished shopping.

They purchased four blouses, a couple that would be good for play or work, and couple more that were more for occasions where you would not get dirty, all of them fitted and with extra fabric and spells to grow with her.

Everything started out fashionable, but they all ended up with practical pockets, and ended up looking just a little more motherly or big sisterly and less fashionable.

Rose insisted on accessories for the dresses and blouses, shoes that matched, a couple of jumpers that could be used for more than one outfit if the weather was cold, and one jumper that looked good worn with a Hogwarts uniforms.

Girls could wear trousers or a skirt for a Hogwarts uniform, but Cleo wanted all full skirts to hide her thighs. Rose did help her Aunt Ginny and Cleo pick out a couple of leggings to go under the skirts for modesty or colder weather. Of course Cleo's Hogwarts skirts had practical pockets.

"You need a good pair of trousers too," Ginny said.

"They all have these fat waistlines, and are ugly, baggy things," Cleo said.

"I have a couple of pair you might like," the saleslady said. She showed them a pair of jeans that were snug around her waist, and sort of held in the top of her hips. They shaped the bottom of the bum, giving her a nice feminine rounded rear.

Cleo modelled the jeans. "Do you think the boys will like that bottom, Mrs. Potter?" the sales lady asked.

"I think they will," Rose said.

"Albus likes my shape," Cleo said. "That's all that really matters." But she looked at the shaping of her bum, the rounded part down there, and giggled. She wiggled her butt. She wasn't a little girl; it felt good.

They ended up with two similar trousers, one in blue denim, and another in a softer beige fabric. Both had feminine detailing on them, which please all the girls, and practical pockets.

Finally Cleo spotted a white cotton dress with red roses on it. It had a square neckline front and back, low cut enough that she had to wear one of the low cut bras. They altered it so it was tight until it came to her waist, and then flared out with plenty of fabric so it was comfortable to walk or run in. The back stayed tight until it just rounded Cleo's bum before it too flared out.

Cleo and the sales lady fussed with the flowers, altering the dress in a way that could only be done with magic, until the profusion of green stems and leaves and red roses somehow emphasized the rather large and feminine personality that was Cleo. The dress also had a wand pocket and two other reasonably substantial pockets, utterly destroying any pretence to sophistication that the dress might convey.

While Cleo was admiring the dress in the triple mirror, Rose turned to her aunt and said, "Are the leaves and roses as erotic as I think they are?"

Ginny said, "Yes, somehow it is erotic, a fertile eroticism. Is it as dowdy as I think it is? It looks more like your grandmother than you."

Rose said, "How can she do that? The problem is that the dress is all Cleopatra, sexy and awkward and not what you would call pretty, all at the same time."

"You have done your best, Rose," Ginny said. "That's Cleo."

Rose looked at her Aunt Ginny in despair, and said, "I tried."

Finally, Lily Luna said, "Are Rose and I going to get anything?"

"Not today," Ginny said.

Lily pouted a little, but kept silent.

Shopping had taken all morning, and Ginny and the girls had a late, light lunch.

Finally, they went to the shop in Diagon Alley owned by Cover Witch Cosmetics, to see if they could do something about Cleo's hair. The hair stylist that worked on the type of hair typical of black women looked at Cleo's hair, and did a couple of spells.

They spent a lot of time trying out different hair styles, finally settling on two big plaits. They were not the most stylish way to wear your hair, but somehow they seemed to fit Cleo, who was never going to be stylish the same way Rose (and Scorpius) were going to be stylish. Besides, the plaits did control Cleo's unruly hair.

The girls returned home in the middle of the afternoon. Cleo wore one of the blouse and skirt outfits. When she came through the Floo Albus met them, and said, "Thank you, Mum, for taking Cleopatra shopping. That looks a lot nicer than the ugly dress.

"You look really pretty, Cleo."

"The clothes are a lot nicer," Cleo said. "They hide my fat body."

Rose said, "You are curvy, and you have big hips, but you are not fat, Cleo."

"I'm big," said Cleo.

"I'm short, and so is Harry," said Ginny. "Uncle Ron is tall, and Aunt Angelina is bigger than Uncle George. There is nothing wrong with being big, or small."

"The clothes are a lot nicer," said Cleo. "I don't feel so UGLY any more. I may not be real pretty, but at least with these clothes I'm not an ugly blob."

"The dress really was ugly, Cleo," Ginny said, "but you never were."

Rose said, "Cleo has two dresses, two skirts, four blouses, three Hogwarts uniforms with skirts and leggings, three jumpers, and two trousers. We bought six pairs of shoes so she has shoes that match no matter what outfit she is wearing or what she is doing. She also has an anorak jacket for winter, a spring coat and a couple of hats. Come up to my room and let us put the clothes away, Cleo. Maybe we can find some of the girl cousins and have a little fashion show."

Ginny thought Rose was certainly not like her mother. Hermione could dress appropriately for any occasion, but she did not enjoy clothes shopping like Rose did, and Hermione was very glad that Ginny and Lily took Rose shopping with them.

As they were leaving Cleopatra thought to Al, _Rose didn't mention the bras or the new knickers_.

Al tried to keep his face neutral. You should not mention "unmentionables" with males around, but the normal rules did not seem to apply between him and Cleo.

All of the girl cousins eventually found their way to Rose's bedroom at Potters New Burrow, and complimented Cleo on her new clothes. They talked Cleo into wearing one of the dresses down to dinner that afternoon, the white one with the lowest neckline, with the wispy bra on underneath.

All the cousins left the room, but Cleo stood in front of the mirror, looking rather overwhelmed. Rose asked, "Cleo, what is the matter. You look nice in that dress."

"I do?" asked Cleo. "I know about music, and I sort of know magic, but I've never had to think about clothing, and what went with what. Two summers ago Grandmother Malfoy and I went to Fanny's Fat Fashions to buy the first Muggle clothes I ever wore, at least that I remember wearing. Robes all cover a lot more of you, and there are not so many variations. And then I grew out of everything, and I had to find more clothes, but everything was ugly.

"Boys wear trousers and shirts, and maybe a jumper. They do not wear skirts, but girls have to decide if they want trousers or skirts or a dress. How do girls remember all this? There must be a hundred different necklines, some that show a lot, and some that don't show anything. This dress has three quarter sleeves, but there are full sleeves and short sleeves and sleeveless dresses and blouses. I've seen Al with trainers, and one pair of black shoes. I have six pairs already, and I think, how many shoes do you have?"

"I only have twelve pair, but my feet are still growing," Rose said. "I think Aunt Fleur has fifty or a hundred pairs, but maybe she just changes the colours of fewer pairs. Everything she wears matches."

"Am I supposed to try and look like Aunt Fleur?" asked Cleo in horror.

"No one can look like Aunt Fleur, except maybe Dominique," Rose said. "Victoire looks more like Grandmum than she does like her own mother, and I think you are going to look more like Victoire. Come on down with me. We are having another big family dinner, before people go off to their own Christmas Eve things. Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur always go to France for a few days before Christmas. I know Roxanne tries to spend some time with Frank Longbottom's family."

"Professor Longbottom?" asked Cleo.

"He's Uncle Neville here," Rose said. "Just NEVER call him Uncle Neville at Hogwarts."

Cleo looked at the dress again. It was striking, a tightly woven white cotton, with a neckline that showed the start of breasts. The detailing around the bust highlighted her shape. The dress was tight on her until it reached her natural waist, and then flared out gently, ending well below her knees. Cleo knew they called the skirt part three quarters long. The roses on the dress were, Cleo knew, rather overdone, but when they were done Rose, Lily, Mrs. Potter and the saleslady all agreed they fit her personality and shape. Cleo's dark skin contrasted with the white dress beautifully. Most women could not wear a dress quite that colourful, but it looked natural on Cleo.

All the shoes at the Malfoy house were heavy leather things; Cleo went barefoot in her room as much as she could. She had little slippers that went with the dress, exposing the tops of her feet. You could just see her nipples through the lightweight bra and fabric, and although Cleo was very happy to be female, this felt a little exposed as well. Everything about the dress was too much, and at the same time just right. It was her! She just was not sure she was ready to be herself like this.

Cleo tromped downstairs, Rose daintily walking beside her, Cleo very conscious of all the skin she was showing. When they were downstairs Cleo noticed that Albus had leather shoes and pressed trousers on, and a newer, prettier shirt. He went over to Cleo, obviously looked at all of her, and said, "Now that is a pretty dress. You look very nice, Cleo."

"Thank you," Cleo said. She looked around the room, very aware of not being as covered up as she usually was.

Victoire came over to see Cleo, hauling Teddy Lupin along. Victoire said, "Teddy, this is Cleopatra Smith, the girl I have been talking about."

Teddy said, "Pleased to meet you, Cleopatra." He looked at her, and she felt looked at. If she was a little embarrassed to be showing skin, she at least didn't have the big valley Victoire showed between her ample bosoms.

Cleo said, "I am glad to meet you too, Teddy." They made a little small talk.

Roxanne came over with Frank Longbottom, and said, "Cleo, this is Professor Longbottom's oldest, Frank. He is studying to be an Auror."

Cleo was not sure if she was expected to shake hands, but nobody offered. She said, "Good to meet you, Mr. Longbottom."

"I'm just Frank in this setting," Frank Longbottom said. "Roxanne and I are going over to the Longbottom Mansion tomorrow. Dad has living quarters at Hogwarts, and Mum has some room for us in the owner's quarters at the Leaky Cauldron, but we were mostly raised at Longbottom Mansion."

Cleo noticed that Roxanne and Frank were holding hands. Roxanne had a dress on that showed at least as much skin as Cleo's dress, and that made her feel a little better.

Dominique came floating over, wearing a sleeveless, tight fitting silvery dress that showed a lot more skin. Cleo thought that the skirt came at least halfway up her thin thighs, was tight around her tiny waist, and Dominique's neckline was significantly lower cut than the one on her dress. It made Cleo feel a little less exposed.

By the end of the day Cleopatra was feeling much more comfortable in the white dress.

That night the four students went over to the Potions Room at Twelve Grimmauld Place. The Potions Room was under the kitchen, and was one of the nicest and best equipped private Potions Rooms in Britain. They started making shampoo, and ended up with about a dozen different shampoos for the rest of the cousins to try.

Tuesday morning, the Nineteenth of December, Ginny went over to Mother Minerva's. Mother Minerva did her usual analysis of Ginny, and then asked, "Is there any reason why you are getting so much bigger so much sooner in your pregnancy?"

Ginny was a little embarrassed, but she said, "I am taking this American potion that should make you a little bigger on top after you are through nursing."

Mother Minerva scowled, and said, "May I see the potion, please."

Ginny said, "I will go home and bring back the two bottles I have left." A short time later she was back.

Mother Minerva looked at the bottles carefully, and then asked, "Have you taken any of these yet?"

"Two bottles," Ginny said.

"Merlin's messes, Ginny, do not take any more," Mother Minerva said. "Witches in my profession have been hearing about these potions. In a witch with very little breast tissue four bottles can add a size or two, but with your heritage and your body type you should gain two additional sizes per bottle, and retain one size per bottle when you are done nursing."

"It said that results were not guaranteed, but I thought that maybe I would not add too much," Ginny said. "What do I do now? I do not want to become too big on top."

"Nothing," Mother Minerva said. "You have always tried to do more, be more, than most witches. You have been at times too successful at it. I would just enjoy being bigger, but I really do not think you want to become as big around as me."

"Thank you for warning me about the potions," Ginny said, concerned that she was going to get real busty, and relieved that Mother Minerva caught her before she became just overwhelmingly huge. They spent more time fitting Ginny for the bras and knickers she was going to need as her pregnancy progressed, and for nursing.

On Tuesday, the four friends went into the living room of Potter's New Burrow. Sitting on a sofa was a small, thin lady with very blond hair. She had sandals on, and each toenail and fingernail was painted a different colour. There were wild patterns on her skirt, but Cleo could tell that each colour in the skirt was also on one of her nails, and Cleo knew that the colours were nowhere near as random as they appeared at first.

"Hi, Aunt Luna," Albus said. "Where is Uncle Rolf?"

"Off to New York and Hong Kong to make sure we have advanced sales for the new edition of _Magical Creatures_ ," Luna said. "I'm going to be staying here a few days."

"Aunt Luna, this is Cleopatra. She is in my class at school, and rooms with Rose. And this is my roommate, Scorpius."

"Hello, Cleopatra, Scorpius," Luna said.

"Are those yours?" Cleo asked, looking at one very blond and one very dark toddler. It was hard to tell the sex from the clothing Luna had on the children.

"My sons Lorcan and Lysander," Luna said.

Just then one of the twins said, "Mum, need milk."

The other one repeated his brother, saying, "Mum, need milk."

"Climb up, boys," Luna said. "Mum will give you a little milk." Luna opened her blouse. She was not wearing a bra, but she was small enough she really did not need to. Luna made no effort to be modest, but just let her boys latch on. She then sat back with a big smile.

Cleo looked. She thought she was as big as Luna already. She could nurse a baby? She could nurse two babies at the same time? "Does that feel good?" Cleo asked.

"They do not need my milk anymore," Luna said. "It is just a very pleasant sensation, and we all enjoy it. As long as they nurse two or three times a day I keep producing milk."

"How old are they?" Cleo asked.

"Two and a half," Luna said.

"And you have not been away from them in all that time?" Cleo asked.

"I've had a couple of two week trips with Rolf, while the babies were left here," Luna said.

"How did you keep your milk from drying up?" Cleo asked.

"Rolf," Luna said. "It is even more pleasant when you husband drinks from your breasts, because he does other things too." Luna went into a great big smile. "Some very pleasant things!"

Cleo thought to Albus, _I'm going to enjoy that, when we have our babies._

Albus returned pleasant thoughts. It was very evident that Cleo was ready to enjoy being a mother, and really wanted to be one, a thought that worried Albus. He knew he was not physically or emotionally ready to be a father.

The next day the weather was excellent, and the Erica and Bill Jr. Lionheart were over to play Quidditch.

"Play with us, Cleo," Erica said.

"I don't know how," Cleo said.

"Al, teach your girlfriend how to play Quidditch," Erica said. "Cleo, go and put on some trousers, and then I'll help Al teach you how to play."

Cleo changed her clothes, and then mounted a broom, and flew up to where Al and Erica were.

"Catch," said Erica as she threw the Quaffle at Cleo. Cleo rolled away from the Quaffle.

"You have to catch it!" Erica said. She threw the Quaffle again. This time Cleo lunged for the Quaffle with both hands, and fell off the broom. Al caught Cleo, and she giggled.

Cleo sat on the broom, thought, and did a couple of spells. Al handed the Quaffle to Cleopatra, and she threw it in the very general direction of Erica. Erica flew over to the Quaffle, and again gently tossed the Quaffle to Cleo. Cleo made a two handed lunge for the Quaffle, and almost caught it, as she rolled over, staying on the broom. She rolled back up, giggling.

Cleopatra was just awful at Quidditch, although she could fly, and she had a lot of fun trying. After a little over an hour Cleo left the pitch to people who could actually play Quidditch. Cleo found Luna and the Scamander twins, and while Albus was playing Quidditch she was playing with the twins and talking to Luna.

Thursday afternoon Cleo came into the kitchen to see Molly looking at three chickens. Molly said, "I need to do something with these chickens, something to stretch them. Three chickens are not quite enough for all the people who are going to be coming for dinner.

Cleo said "You could make Chicken Cacciatore. You need noodles, and tomatoes, and a lot of spices. It's better with mushrooms. I can write down sort of a recipe, although I do a lot by taste."

Molly said, "If I have the ingredients we can try it. It does not sound like traditional English food."

Cleo said, "It's Italian. I like all kinds of food. The menu at the Malfoy house was boring, boring, boring, but I found all kinds of interesting recipes to try."

As the rest of the family gravitated towards the smells coming from the kitchen they found Molly and Cleo adding spices, comparing notes on recipes, and generally having a fantastic time.

Victoire, who had been one of the first to come to the kitchen, and who was helping, said, "You ought to teach the Elves at Hogwarts how to make this."

Cleo said, "I guess I am going to have to write something down. I use what we have on hand, and it is different every time I make it."

Molly just beamed. The good cooks could make almost anything taste good, and many meals were an adventure. The ordinary ones followed the same boring recipe over and over.

Molly had finally found a kindred soul, as far as cooking and nourishing her family and guests were concerned. Molly hoped that she and Cleo would spend many hours creating spectacular and enjoyable meals.


	19. Ch 18 Christmas Eve

Ch 18 Christmas Eve

The poem in this chapter is from _Winnie the Pooh_ by _A._. I gave my set to my wife the Christmas we were engaged. As always edits and help from Arnel and FriendofMolly.

* * *

Friday, 22 December, Narcissa came over to Potter's New Burrow in the morning. She greeted Ginny, and asked, "Did you find any clothes for Cleo?"

Ginny said, "She has new dresses, skirts, blouses, and trousers, plus shoes and accessories. We tried to make them all stylish, but by the time Cleo was done putting in pockets …"

Narcissa said, "Merlin, the girl is obsessed with pockets. Why do you think she had that ugly dress? It was the only one in the Muggle store with pockets she liked."

Ginny said, "After I met you I could not quite figure out why Cleo had such an ugly dress. Maybe it wasn't all your fault."

Narcissa said, "I am not totally innocent. If I had taken her to Missy Malcom's Modern Muggle Clothes instead of a totally Muggle store we might have done better. I just have a hard time shopping with Cleo without some sort of argument."

The two witches shared stories about shopping with Cleo. Finally Narcissa said, "Thank you, Ginny, for shopping with Cleopatra. You obviously do a much better job than I do. You are most welcome to shop with her from now on."

"Thank you, I think," Ginny said. She felt the baby bump again. She really had not planned on two new children, a newborn, and a twelve-year-old, this year.

Narcissa told Ginny that Scorpius and Cleopatra were going to be going back December twenty-third to spend Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day with the Malfoy Family. Then she went over to the New Burrow next door to visit with her sister and Molly.

Shortly before noon Ginny received a call on her mobile from Fr. Lewis of St. Merlin and Mungo's. "Ginny, I have a problem. Mario and his family cannot do the usual two services Christmas Eve. Everybody is sick. I have looked everywhere for music, and cannot find anyone. Then my daughter Susan mentioned that Albus is in a band. Could he play for Christmas?"

Ginny said, "I can ask him."

Ginny asked Mitzi, the Elf who was almost always with her to compensate for her terrible sense of balance, and she found Frerin, the Elf who was usually guarding Albus, and a short time later Albus and Cleopatra were in the kitchen of Potter's New Burrow.

"The church does not have any music for Christmas Eve," Ginny said. "Could you play some Christmas music on your guitar?"

"Christmas music?" Cleo asked. "Like _Angels We Have Heard On High_ and _Joy To The World?_ I can play those on the organ. I can play _Silent Night_ too, but that was first written for the guitar. So was _What Child Is This_. Albus, is this helping people? You talk about how we need to be good people. Is this a way we could help bring Christmas joy to people?"

Albus said, "I cannot imagine a Christmas without music. Tell Pastor Lewis that we will do it."

Ginny said, "Grandmother Malfoy said you need to be back at Malfoy Mansion Christmas Eve."

"That will not bring joy to anyone," Cleo said. "I didn't practice the organ all these years just to be told that when someone needs, NEEDS, someone to play I may not do it!"

Ginny and the children went over to The New Burrow to see Narcissa Malfoy, and after a great deal of pleading and explaining Narcissa agreed. She even agreed to go to church with the children, just to see what it was all about, since she had never been in a church of any kind.

Cleo said, "We ought to get the band to help." So Albus and Cleo rounded up the band. Hanna McGonagall had been singing backup, and she convinced a large portion of the McGonagall clan to come to church with her, including her Aunt Minerva. Colin Creevey had been singing backup as well, and the rumour had it that it was partly to spend more time with Christy Shook, although he had a good voice and enjoyed singing, so the Creevey family also decided to go to church Christmas Eve.

Scorpius had a passable singing voice, but was not that interested. Rose, who suffered through piano lessons without ever developing a good ear or sense of rhythm, was glad not to be involved.

The members of the band practiced at the Potters New Burrow the evening of the twenty-second and additional practices both in the morning and afternoon of the twenty-third and twenty-fourth. The last practice was with a few choir members who usually sang at the later service.

* * *

Thursday night Ginny told Harry, "Albus seems to have accepted that Cleopatra is going to be part of his life, but does he love her? Should he love her at his age? I'm terrified of that relationship, but if Cleo is going to be part of Al's life, I would like some symbol that there is more than just acceptance there."

"I'm not sure we can do anything about it right now, but just watch them," Harry said.

"I would like to ask Albus how he feels," said Ginny.

Between the Christmas Eve practices Ginny asked Albus, "How do you feel about Cleopatra? I know she is your soulmate, but do you like her?"

"Sure I like her," Albus said, "But it is more than like. She completes me in some way. I guess we do not act like Teddy and Victoire, or Fred and Miriam, or Roxanne and Frank."

Ginny said, "Sometimes you act like an old married couple, but you do not exactly act like boyfriend and girlfriend."

Al said, "Mum, I'm eleven. I am really not old enough to have a girlfriend. Besides, I am still a little boy. Cleopatra is in the middle of raging puberty, and I have not even started. We know that, well, I know that, once we are physically ready for sex we are still not going to be ready.

"I've read enough about soulmates to know that we will probably be married as soon as we can, maybe even on my seventeenth birthday, but that is a long way off, five and a half years off."

Ginny asked, "You are sure that you want to spend the rest of your life with Cleopatra?"

"Oh, yes!" Albus exclaimed. "I do, I, well, I really want to spend the rest of my life with her. It would be nice if we could sleep together, even in different beds, even if we didn't have sex, which I'm really not old enough for anyway, but I know we cannot. So we have not snogged or anything like that, but I do … the word is love, isn't it. I do, but I have not really told her, or you."

Albus thought of all the types of love in Elfish. The all really applied to Cleo, even eros, although he was too young for erotic love.

"Finding your soulmate when you are eleven and still a little boy is really awkward," Albus finally said.

"That is one way to put it," Ginny said. At least awkward, she thought, if not terrifying.

Albus thought about his mother's conversation. He was going to have to find a way of telling Cleopatra how he felt.

* * *

The first Christmas Eve service was at five in the afternoon _._. It was primarily for families with small children, and the church was brightly lit. Christy and the band played _The Little Drummer Boy_ for the children before the service. The Magi Christian Church was sort of an Orthodox Church. It was very old, having separated from the main bodies of Christians early on, because of the problems it caused being a Christian and a Magi at the same time.

Father Lewis started out the service by telling how the family that usually provided music was sick, and that he was having a very hard time finding someone to take their place. "It reminded me of how, in 1818, in a small Austrian town, Franz Xavier Gruber and Joseph Mohr composed a simple song for the guitar, because their organ was broken. If I could not find someone to play the organ maybe I could find someone to play the guitar, to play that song."

Albus walked out with the old gut strung guitar of his grandfather, magically amplified, and started to sing and play _Silent Night, Holy Night._

The entire congregation joined in the singing.

Cleo came over to Albus for the second verse, and added a beautiful harmony to the song. When she did three small children ran up to the place where they were, and she took then into her arms and sat them down, entrancing them by her singing and presence, before gently leading them back to their families after the song.

There was a scripture reading, and then Father Lewis said, "Instead of a psalm we are going to have another Christmas song."

Albus said, "The song _Greensleeves_ was composed by King Henry the Eighth, or at least around his time. Christmas lyrics were later written to that tune."

Cleo brought out her keyboard, and Albus his guitar, and they played the melody to the last measure of the song. Cleo had the keyboard set to sound like a harpsicord, so the music was very medieval.

Everybody joined in singing, _What Child is This._

Cleo had never been to a Christian service. There were two more readings, the last one about the birth of Jesus. This Jesus was apparently someone very important in the Christian religion.

Father Lewis finished reading the gospel, and then started his sermon.

Cleopatra had to think about this strange faith. Albus believed, believed enough that he thought going to church was important. Cleo knew that. But both this Father Lewis and Albus thought it was more important to have a faith than to be Christians.

Father Lewis talked about humility too, and what he said bothered Cleo. She needed to ask Albus about it.

Cleo played _Away in a Manger_ on the organ after the sermon. She played _Angels We Have Heard on High_ for what she was told was the communion part of the service. She ended with a rousing version of _Joy to the World._

Between the services everybody from the band and their families, a very large group, went back to the New Burrow for dinner.

Harry worked Christmas Eve as usual, but was able to leave the Ministry in time to go to the late Christmas Eve service at St. Merlin and St. Mungo's Church.

Cleo and Albus had decided to exchange books for Christmas presents, books that they already owned. That way Cleo did not have to go Christmas shopping. She really didn't have her own money, as far as she knew. Just before everybody went back to the church for the ten o'clock Christmas Eve service, Al and Cleo exchanged gifts.

Cleo said, "I have a present for you, Al." She handed him a wrapped present, a couple of books that they had talked about, that Al had indicated that he would like to read.

Al handed a set of books over to Cleo.

"Merry Christmas, Cleopatra," Albus said.

The present was a set of " _The World of Pooh_ ," the complete _Winnie-the-Pooh_ and _The House at Pooh Corner_.

There was a note Spellotaped in the front of the book, and on the page the note pointed to Albus wrote, "To Cleopatra, from Albus." Below that was the following passage:

 _TO HER_

 _Hand in Hand we come  
_ _Christopher Robin and I,  
_ _To lay this book in your lap.  
_ _Say you're surprised?  
_ _Say you like it?  
_ _Say it's just what you wanted?  
_ _Because it's yours—  
_ _Because we love you._

Cleo looked at the book, and the little passage. _Because we love you._ This was the first time Albus really said that he loved her, not that he just accepted that they were soulmates, but that the loving emotion was part of it. She just lost it. She pulled Albus close to her and said, "Thank you," the tears flowing. It took a couple of minutes for Cleo to calm down.

Ginny looked at the page that had caused such a reaction. She showed it to Harry, and then held on to him tightly, and whispered, "I should not have worried. He likes her."

"The right emotions are there," Harry said. "Albus just doesn't express them as freely as some people."

After the meal, before they went back to Church, Cleopatra asked Albus, "Is your family really one of the richest in the world?"

Albus said, "We are wealthy, I guess. Dad says we have to use our money to help other people, not just to show off and to try and buy happiness."

Cleo said, "The Malfoy house is as large as the New Burrow and Potters New Burrow combined, but it is not a fun place to be. Everything looks like it was made to impress other people.

"The talk the, is he a priest, like priests and priestesses? The leader, he said that Jesus could have been born in a palace, and instead he was born in a stable. Like, if you were not born at St. Mungo's or even in your mother's bed, but somewhere else. He grew up to be famous, but he never was rich. He wasn't a show off.

"So if you become rich, and you are a Christian, you are not to be just trying to impress people with how rich you are?"

Albus said, "That's sort of the point of the sermon, I guess. I know I don't like a show-off, and Dad doesn't either."

Cleo whispered, "What if you are powerful and important?"

Albus said, "It's a problem. The prophets and Christian clergy I have talked to all say that it is a problem. I know I am good at magic, and so are you. We just have to be grateful, and try to do good."

When they arrived at the church everything was dimly lit. Everyone was given a new candle, and they found their way into pews. The church was crowded. Finally the rest of the lights were put out, and Father Lewis talked about Joseph and Mary having to find a place to stay, and the despair they must have felt in the dark, no place to stay, with Mary due any moment. "They must have felt as much despair as Joseph Mohr and Franz Xavier Gruber did when the organ in their church was broken on Christmas Eve. Mario and his family are sick, and earlier in the week I was facing the same sort of darkness in my soul, contemplating a Christmas Eve without music.

"My daughter Susan suggested a person who could provide music."

A small light from a single wand focused on Albus as he played _Silent Night,_ and as before the congregation joined in. Cleo again joined in harmony as lights were lit, and by the end of the song all the candles were lit, the whole church was ablaze in light, and again there were children around Albus and Cleo.

Albus and Cleo played _What Child is This_ between the first two readings. After that Cleo went to the pipe organ, although she placed her keyboard on top of the console. The choir and the whole band joined in for the rest of the songs, and the music became more and more upbeat. For the song right after the sermon, while the priest did something, the choir sang _Gesu Bambino._ She again played _Angels We Have Heard on High_ for what she was told was the communion part of the service, this time with an adult choir adding plenty of harmony.

The last song was _Joy to the World,_ and by this time the band, the choir, and the entire congregation was singing at the top of their voices. On the last verse Cleo pulled out all the stops, added some music from her keyboard, and all the band instruments were playing. When the song was over Cleo went into an amazing postlude, about five minutes of variations of _Joy to the World_ that had everybody in the congregation in awe.

When Cleo was done the church was stunned into silence for maybe fifteen seconds, before someone started to applaud. The church erupted into applause. The band and choir also applauded.

Cleo looked at Albus, and asked, "What do I do now?"

Albus smiled and said, "Bow, and say 'thank you.'"

Cleo did bow, and smiled at the congregation, especially at several children who obviously wanted to see her. She invited the children up, and over the next twenty minutes talked to them about the pipe organ, her keyboard, and music, charming not only the children but also their parents. Albus and all the band members shared their instruments as well.

Finally Narcissa said, "Cleo, Scorpius, we really need to get back to Malfoy Manor."

Cleo packed up her keyboard, all the Christmas music, and the books from Albus. When they were back at the Manor, and she was in her room, she took out the books from Albus. She looked at the poem in the front,

 _Say you're surprised?_ Yes, she was surprised  
 _Say you like it?_ Yes, she liked it.  
 _Say it's just what you wanted?  
_ _Because it's yours—  
_ _Because we love you._

Because we love you. Because we love you.

Cleo took the books to bed with her, because he loved her, and she loved him. This was the MOST WONDERFUL Christmas EVER.

* * *

Harry was in and out of the Christmas Eve service, and Ginny knew something was wrong. At the end of the services he and a couple of other Aurors were making sure everybody either took the Floo, Apparated, or had escorts if they had to leave through the front door. So when they were alone at home she asked, "What was going on Christmas Eve?"

Harry said, "There were a huge number of Dementors howling outside, and some very suspicious characters. One was Guts the Goblin, the same one who was with the group that attacked you in San Francisco when you first were pregnant with James."

Ginny said, "Did you arrest the goblin?"

Harry said, "He was not in a place where we could, and none of the other suspicious people had done anything wrong."

Ginny said, "I thought we were through with drama and danger when Tom Riddle was killed."

Harry said, "It is getting worse. I am worried."


	20. Ch 19 Christmas Week

Ch 19 Christmas Week

More of the fantastic corrections and consistency checking that Arnel does so well, plus a couple of very nice contributions.

* * *

On Christmas morning Cleopatra arose and looked at her new clothes. She picked out the nicest blouse and skirt outfit. The blouse was of some shiny fabric, just a little translucent. It had a modest scooped neck, detailing around her bust that highlighted her shape and would allow the blouse to grow as her bust grew, and was reasonably form fitting. You could just see the contrast between the white bra and her chocolate skin through the blouse.

The skirt was again just form fitting enough to highlight her shape between her waist and hips, before it flared out.

The blouse had three quarters sleeves, and the skirt was three quarters long, so although the entire outfit was very modest by Muggle standards, it was reasonably revealing by the standards of the robes of the old Magi families. Cleo didn't quite know what to do with the accessories that Rose had bought for her, so she didn't try to wear them. She came down to breakfast feeling reasonably put together.

As Cleo walked into the dining room, Astoria took a good look at her, and attack.

"MUGGLE CLOTHES! Who told you that you could wear Muggle clothes in this house? You look like a prostitute. Look at that neckline!"

Astoria outlined the border of the neckline with her wand, stinging Cleo's skin.

"Look at those arms. That skirt is way too small!" Astoria said as she stung Cleo's skin with her wand, touching all the bare skin. "And those little things that pass as shoes," as Astoria stung the tops of her feet.

"Trying to show breasts," she said as she outlined the border between the bra and Cleo's skin, again stinging the skin. "You do not need to pad that area to show what you don't have. You will have boys wanting to paw you soon enough. Paw your breasts and touch all of you and put their tongue in your mouth. Eventually someone will violate your private parts, hurting you. It's not fun. And then you will have to share your body with another person, and your back will hurt and you will have to use the loo all the time. Nine months of misery."

Great-Grandmother Malfoy cut Astoria off as she said to Cleo, "I think that is a nice outfit. Scorpius, do you like it?"

Scorpius said, "I like it. Cleopatra has some nice clothes now."

Great-Grandmother Black said, "Just because the young Mrs. Malfoy is a frigid, sexually repressed bitch doesn't mean you have to be, Cleopatra."

Great-Grandmother Black and Mrs. Astoria Malfoy glared at each other. Cleo could see Grandmother Narcissa and Mr. Draco Malfoy glaring at Mrs. Astoria, silently telling her to shut up.

Cleo and Al, and to a lesser extent Rose and Scorpius, had spent part of the last few days trying to make perfume and shampoo. Reading personalities was important if you wanted the shampoo to smell like the person. Cleo had noticed a "coupleness" in all the couples when she was at the Weasley and Potter houses, and she could also see a difference in any female who had been a mother, or in a male who had been a father.

Cleo could see that Great-Grandmother Malfoy and Great-Grandmother Black had been part of a couple, and although it was more mixed up and confused, so Grandmother Narcissa All three of them had been mothers. She tried to see the coupleness between Mrs. Astoria Malfoy and Mr. Draco Malfoy, but she could not see any coupleness. Mr. Draco Malfoy was obviously a father, but it was hard to see much mother in Mrs. Astoria Malfoy, even though Cleo could see that she was Scorpius's mother. So she turned to Mr. Draco Malfoy and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy."

"Thank you," Draco said. "I think you look perfectly acceptable. Please sit down so we can eat."

Cleo beamed as she sat down. "Perfectly acceptable" was high praise from Mr. Malfoy, who was not given to passing out many compliments.

The relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy could not be much worse, and he would support her in the wearing of Muggle clothes, even though he never wore any. If she had Mr. Malfoy and Grandmother Narcissa on her side she would be able to wear anything she wanted. For some reason this was a victory Cleo thought she had to win, and she had.

Cleo thought that, if she was fat and not particularly pretty, she could at least show she was female.

Great-Grandmother Black said, "I still do not see why Hogwarts wants the students to wear Muggle clothes. The Black family has tried to stay hidden from those awful Muggles. I don't believe all this nonsense about Muggle cameras that send moving pictures places, machines that keep information about us. We can stay hidden from Muggles, and who cares if we don't. That Muggle Vice-Minister of Magic Weasley and half-Muggle Potter are just trying to make our lives miserable.

After breakfast Cleo noticed Mr. Malfoy almost in tears, as he slowly left the table. Cleo went up to him and asked, "What is wrong, Mr. Malfoy?"

Mr. Malfoy looked at Cleo, and said, "She never let me touch her, anywhere, except the minimum we needed to be married, and that with her as clothed as she could be."

Cleo said, "I'm sorry. It sounds like you have had a hard life." She saw Scorpius starting to come over, and waived him away. She had never talked to Mr. Malfoy like this, and if he was willing to talk she wanted to listen.

Mr. Malfoy looked at Cleo, and said, "My father blames me for his imprisonment, and for all sorts of things going wrong. I have been trying to earn his love for as long as I can remember, and ever since Voldemort was killed all I feel is hate. Astoria promised to love me, and I think I was used and betrayed. The only one who I knows loves me is my mother. Even the grandmothers fight, and blame me."

Cleo said, "Scorpius loves you. You are his father."

Draco said, "Do you? Have I been a father to you?"

Cleo thought how Mr. Malfoy mostly avoided her. Actually, he sort of avoided Scorpius too. Grandmother Narcissa at least kissed her good night, and taught them, and knew them. Cleo did not know how to answer Mr. Malfoy.

Mr. Malfoy finally turned and walked away. Cleo knew that the most important thing in her world was happy couples, and she was very sad for Scorpius' parents.

* * *

Christmas day Ginny noticed that James was much more subdued than usual, and when he disappeared right after lunch she used one of Harry's maps, found him alone in the bedroom he shared with Albus during Christmas, and went up to see him.

The door was not closed all the way, and Ginny quietly looked in. On James bed was the Firebolt he had received for Christmas. James had said, seriously or in jest, "If you cannot heal these scars, you can at least get me a Firebolt, so Albus is not faster than me." James' reaction to the Firebolt broom was a little less excited than Ginny had expected.

James was looking at his scarred arm, and then looking at the broom. Tears were running down, and James was sobbing.

Ginny quietly walked into the room, making it obvious so James would not be startled. She sat down on the end of the bed, looked at James, and waited. He looked at her, at his arm, and back at her. Finally he said, "I thought Dad could fix anything, or find someone who could fix it. Am I going to be scarred like this forever?" He almost didn't get the 'forever' out before bursting out into tears again.

Ginny said, "Dad will do the best he can, but he never said he could fix everything. There are a lot of people from our generation that your father could not fix, and he still feels guilty that he cannot help everyone."

James said, "But Mum, I'm just a kid. Kids don't get hurt like this!"

Ginny said, "The witch your Grandmother Weasley killed at the Battle of Hogwarts killed Uncle Fabian, long before I was born. He was just a baby, born between Uncle Charlie and Uncle Percy. Grandmum bawls every time she thinks of him. Sometimes little children are caught up in battles and are hurt or killed.

"Uncle Fred was a grown up, but he was killed at the Battle of Hogwarts, along with fifty other people. Grandmum lost two sons during the last war."

"You cannot fix this?" James asked, looking at his scarred arm, and then touching his scarred face.

"We are going to try," Ginny said. "We are going to do our best to find out what happened, and what we can do to remove your scars, or at least make them disappear as much as possible. I just cannot promise you that we will succeed." Ginny had started to cry as she finished talking. She moved over next to James, and held onto him as they both cried.

Harry had gone to the office, to try and help find out about the disturbances around St. Mungo and Merlin's, or Ginny would have had him to come and help. She rubbed the start of her baby belly, and found herself worrying about all four (or was it five now) of her children.

When the crying was over James asked his mum, "Is it more important for girls to be good looking than boys?"

Ginny said, "It shouldn't be, but I guess it is. Why are you asking?"

James said, "The scarred skin feels different. How will I shave?"

Ginny said, "Your Father has a shaving charm that should work. I can see you are starting to get a little hair on your face."

James rubbed the very start of a moustache, and then said, "What if no girl wants to kiss me? What if they don't want me to touch them with the scarred hand?"

Ginny said, "Your Uncle Bill has a scarred face, and he is married to Aunt Fleur. I would not be too worried about attracting girls. Why? Is there a girl you are interested in or that is interested in you?"

James said, "Not really. I always knew that girls were different, but they are becoming more different than boys. The Lionhearts were always just people we played Quidditch with, but Erica wears a BRA now. I never thought of her like … She's not just a kid I fly with, but a GIRL."

Ginny laughed, and said, "That happens. And about your age, or a little older, boys start to notice."

James said, "All I can think about are the scars. I hope you sort of forget about them eventually, or at least don't think about them all the time."

Ginny said, "I notice the scar on my chest when I am getting dressed and undressed, but usually I don't notice it at all, or think about it. You will probably be the same way."

James said, "Thank you, Mum. That helps. A Little. Don't tell anyone I was crying."

Ginny said, "Your secret is safe with me." She knew she would share this with Harry, but no one else.

* * *

Late Christmas afternoon Ginny and Molly were in the kitchen of Potter's New Burrow, along with some Elves, making a Christmas Day meal. Molly thought of Cleo and Albus, and of what she knew of this girl that was a friend of Rose and more than a friend of Albus. Molly said, "What is going on between Albus and Cleo, Ginny?"

"They are soulmates," Ginny said. "They have been magically linked for years, and they both are very sure they are soulmates. It is just confirming some prophesies that Harry and I have been aware of for years."

Molly said, "Oh my, that serious! How many people know about this?"

Ginny said, "At least the major prophets in Switzerland, and some other prophets. Minerva McGonagall and the Sorting Hat both know. The hat told both Albus and Cleo that they were soulmates. We are reasonably sure the evil powers in both the Caribbean and Asia know. Victoire knows now. I am not sure how many other people know."

Molly asked, "What is your relationship with her?"

Ginny said, "I'm terrified, but as much as I try I cannot make it wrong. I told her she could call me 'Mum Potter' because she needs a mother figure to talk to her, and Mrs. Malfoy does not seem to be able to talk about personal things with her.

"Mum, how am I going to handle being a mum to her? I didn't expect to have two new children this year."

Molly said, "After the Battle of Hogwarts things happened so fast I was numb. I know some days I kept going just because I had to.

"Ginny, you have plenty of loving family to support you. Cleo really likes me, and I like her. Please, if you need help ask for it. I've helped with plenty of granddaughters, and I can be a grandmother to her as well."

Ginny said, "Thank you, Mum. I needed that. I think she is going to need it too."

Molly said, "I guess I should finish the jumper I was knitting for her."

Ginny said, "You knitted her a jumper?"

Molly said, "She sort of reminds me of Harry, no parents, sort of lost in some ways and a powerful and good person in other ways. I don't know why, but as soon as I saw her I knew she somehow fit, like she was a missing part of the family."

* * *

Thursday morning the twenty eight of December Narcissa brought Cleopatra and Scorpius back to Potters New Burrow, and again Ginny met them, along with Albus and Rose.

Cleo said, "Hello, Mrs. Potter, Albus, Rose. Where is everybody else?"

Ginny said, "Mr. Potter is working. He usually takes the week between Christmas and New Year off, but between the Dementors Christmas Eve, your family wanting you back, Cleo, and the attack yesterday, he is very worried.

"Mrs. Weasley is at the Ministry, and Mr. Weasley is at the store."

Albus said, "The cousins are mostly next door." He led the children out of the kitchen in the direction of the New Burrow.

Narcissa sat down at the kitchen table, and Ginny sat next to her. Narcissa said, "Harry and I are going to talk later this afternoon, here. It is probably better for me not to be seen in the Ministry. We are all worried about all the attacks. It just feels too much like the start of another war."

Ginny said, "I asked my mother how she managed during the last war, and right after. I think she was scared, sometimes terrified. Sometimes she said she kept going because she had to, not because she felt like it."

Narcissa said, "There were times, when Voldemort was living at our house that I thought I should just walk away, and if I was killed it would be better than living with that monster. I am very glad I didn't do that now."

"I am glad too, Narcissa," Ginny said. "You have raised Scorpius to be a very nice boy, and I know you did your best with Cleo as well. She feels bad that you are not closer."

"I miss both of the children, Ginny," Narcissa said. "They are much happier here, especially Cleopatra. I will be going home this evening, after dinner.

"I wish I could bring Andromeda back to meet our mother, but Mum is still stuck in her pure-blood prejudice, and does not want to meet her daughter. It's tragic, really."

* * *

When the four children reached the New Burrow Rose and Scorpius went straight to the library of The Burrow. They were both students of history, and they had left a couple of books there to share. Draco had brought along a couple of books from the Malfoy library for Rose to read, and Rose had found a couple of books from her mother's library for Scorpius to read.

Cleo and Albus wandered over to the kitchen, where Molly was fussing with something, talking to a couple of the Elves.

Molly saw the couple, and said, "Oh, hello Cleopatra. I have something for you. Merry Christmas." She brought out a package. Cleo unwrapped it, and saw a hand knit jumper. It happened to clash gloriously with the blouse and skirt Cleo was wearing, but it didn't clash with Albus' jumper. Cleo immediately put it on, and gave Molly a big hug.

Cleo said, "Thank you, Grandmum Weasley. It is just like Albus' books. It makes me feel loved. It makes me feel part of this family."

Molly said, "Run along and have fun. I am working with the Elves on food for all of us for the next couple of days."

As they left, Cleo said to Al, "I would like to work on scents again."

Albus replied, "We can go to Grimmauld Place. I just have to make sure the Aurors know, as well as our Elves. Dad is really worried."

Cleo said, "How do you keep from being scared all the time, Al? I am still shaking from that attack yesterday."

Al said, "I think I am scared, or at least worried, most of the time. It is not a fun way to live."

Al brought out a map of the New Burrow and Potters New Burrow houses, and spotted Scorpius and Rose right away. He and Cleo went to find them. When they entered the library, Rose said to Cleo, "Grandmum made you a jumper!"

Cleo said, "It makes me feel loved." She followed up with a sappy smile. Then she asked, "Do you want to help us make shampoo? We may try some perfume too."

Rose said, "Maybe this afternoon."

Rose and Scorpius never did make it over to help with the shampoo. At dinner Cleo presented each of the cousins with their own personalized shampoo and soap, with instructions to try it. She wanted to examine each of them Friday morning to see if they liked the smell, and if it fitted their personality.

Thursday evening after dinner Rose, Cleo and the girl cousins shut themselves in their room with a "no boys allowed" sign on the door. Albus and Scorpius were in the living room reading when Uncle Ron came into the room and said, "Does anyone want to play chess."

Scorpius said, "I will. I think it's I the only game where I can beat Albus."

Albus continued to read, but he also listened as his Uncle Ron and his friend talked.

They sat down to play, Ron keeping up a steady stream of chatter, asking Scorpius about school, about Rose, about everything he could think of. Finally Scorpius asked, "Mr. Weasley, are you just trying to distract me?"

Ron smiled, and then said, "You are a bright boy, Scorpius. You would have to be to keep up with Rose. I guess it is a little of both."

Scorpius said, "I will just consider it part of my chess lessons, then. I will have to learn to play distracted."

Ron won all three games they played, but none of them was easy. Finally Ron said, "Who taught you to play chess?"

Scorpius said, "My great-grandmother Black. We are not quite even yet, but I am getting close."

Ron said, "What else is she teaching you?"

Scorpius said, "She is trying to teach me all about the pure-blood families. Some of it is pretty stupid. The only family with no Muggle blood, at least for a thousand years, was the Gault family. Great-grandmother considers it shameful that the Black family has three five hundred and twelfths Muggle blood. Nine generations back there were three Muggle ancestors."

Ron asked, "The Malfoy family?"

Scorpius said, "They do not admit to any, but Great-grandmother says she thinks there is at least one sixty-fourth Muggle blood. The Lestrange family was purer, one or two five hundred and twelfths Muggle."

Ron asked, "What is your Great-grandmother Malfoy like?"

Scorpius said, "She is like an observer. She asks questions, and she seems interested in Cleo and me. I don't understand her. At least she is not complaining about all this pure-blood nonsense. She mostly complains that Grandpa is in prison."

Friday morning almost everybody was at breakfast together. Cleo went to all the cousins and asked about the soap and shampoo. Everybody was happy with the scent of their soap and shampoo, but Cleo was not satisfied with about half of them.

Miriam, Fred II's wife, asked Cleo, "Do you think you can make some baby soap and shampoo for us?"

Cleo asked, "Do you know if your baby is going to be a boy or a girl?"

Miriam said, "He is going to be a boy. We are going to name him Barack, which means blessing in Swahili. The Magi in Great Britain who go to church mostly go to the Wizard Christian Church, so we are going to join the church here, and baptize Barack."

Cleo asked, "Are you going to church Sunday?"

Miriam said, "We will probably go with Albus and his father Saturday night."

Albus and Cleo spent most of the day working on the shampoo, soap, and perfume, or reading about them. About half of the time Rose and Scorpius helped. Friday at dinner, Cleo had new soap and shampoo for about half of the cousins, and soap and shampoo for some of the adults as well. She also had perfume for some of the women.

Saturday morning Cleo again went to everyone who had used the shampoo or soap or perfume.

Miriam said, "That was fantastic perfume, Cleo! Fred and I both loved it?"

Roxanne said, "Frank Longbottom REALLY likes that perfume." She then whispered in Cleo's ear, "I am very glad I have birth control potions."

Albus was a little concerned about some of the perfume that Cleo was making, and was riding on the surface of her thoughts when Roxanne spoke to her. Later that morning Albus said to Cleo, "I know you love children, but you do not want the unmarried cousins to start having children."

"I don't?" Cleo asked, and then she corrected herself, "Oh, I guess I don't."

Albus worried that Cleo liked babies, and the idea of having babies, just a little too much.

Saturday after lunch Al, Cleo Rose and Scorpius were together, and Cleopatra asked Albus, "Al, why do you go to church?"

Al said, "I would like my dad to talk to us. I know why I go, but I started to go because he goes to church."

The four went up to Harry, and Albus said, "Will you talk to us about why you go to church, please. I think I go for mostly the same reasons, but maybe you can do a better job of explaining."

Harry sat down with them and said, "Some Muggles believe that when you die that is the end. They do not believe anybody lives on after they die. You have ghosts at Hogwarts, but they are really not the best beings to talk to about death. Ghosts are people who are afraid to pass on to the other side.

"I know when Tom Riddle killed me I was in some sort of state between life and death, and I talked to Professor Dumbledore, and he talked to me. I learned some things that I never would have learned if it was all my imagination. I know that as I walked to face Riddle my parents were with me, more than ghosts, along with Sirius Black and Teddy's father.

"Christianity gives me a way of thinking about life after death.

"Christianity, like most of the world's major religions, also has a moral code. I have seen very bad people, and I knew that I wanted to be good, and I wanted to teach my children to be good. The Christian moral code is not a bad place to start.

"What I have learned since, from listening to sermons and reading, is that if you take your faith seriously, and few people do, but if you do it is hard to be too proud. The 'Boy Who Lived' became 'the Hero of Hogwarts.' It would be easy to get real proud and arrogant with that type of resume. When I pray it reminds me that I was not alone, and that I am either very blessed or very lucky to have survived, and even prospered.

"Many of the bad people have been concerned only with themselves. Tom Riddle was like that. I do not think he had any friends."

Albus said, "My skills as a Magi are very good, almost as good as the seventh year students. I am worried that I will have to prove myself, and if I succeed there is a great temptation to think you did it all by and for yourself.

"I look at Tom Riddle, who could have done so much good, and instead he ruined not only his own life but so many others. I am afraid that if I don't go to church and thank God for all he has given me I may actually believe I am a little god myself, because I can do things with a wand."

Cleo said, "Is that why Jesus was born in a stinky barn, and not in a palace?"

Harry said, "I think that is one reason."

Cleo said, "Why do we not have church at Hogwarts?"

Al said, "I would like to have church services at Hogwarts."

Cleo said, "I will play the organ!"

Al said, "Thank you, but that's not why we go to church."

* * *

Ginny did not go to church Saturday evening, but the rest of Harry's family went. Hermione took her mother and children. Scorpius and Cleo came along. Before they were back Narcissa was in the kitchen of Potters New Burrow waiting to take Scorpius and Cleopatra back to Malfoy Manor for the rest of the holidays.

* * *

Just before they went back to school Ginny had a chance to smell the shampoos. She was amazed. Al sent the message that he was trustworthy, an honest scent for a boy his age. Rose's scent said, amazingly enough, "smart girl," feminine but somehow with book overtones. Scorpius' had another honest scent for a boy that said "smart and trustworthy."

Cleo's scent was distinctive. It was very distinctly feminine, but not really so much like a little girl. It certainly did not say "cute" or "young men come and get me." It had overtones of Ginny's mother, Molly. It was almost more a mother's scent than a little girl's scent, almost, but not inappropriate for Cleo. It was a scent that both men and women would find comforting and not intimidating, and it and Al's scents together gave you the impression that these two young people were very nice and could be trusted.

When Ginny asked how they had created these scents and feelings Cleo said, "It's mostly the scents, but partly the spells you use with the scents. Part of the secret is using very tiny amounts of some powerful spells and ingredients. It's magic really!"

Ginny thought that her reaction to these scents was how great a job Cleo had done, with just an overtone of apprehension. She certainly hoped Al and Cleo could be trusted. They had the top marks in school and not one detention among them. Almost too good to be true? She thought back to the days just after the battle of Hogwarts. Maybe too much too fast?

There was something else that puzzled Ginny. When you saw Rose and Scorpius together you could tell that they were best friends, although there was a competitive tension between them. They were certainly not looking at each other in any romantic way yet. Almost a feeling that would reassure Hermione and not get Ron too apprehensive yet, but warn him that a romance could develop.

Al and Cleo was another issue. How to describe their relationship, and what had Cleo and Al done with the scents and smells and spells to describe it? There was a maturity in Al far beyond his years, and it came across in the scents and smells. With Al and Cleo it was almost an "almost pre-sexual but fully committed" couple. Ginny was almost sure those two would get married, just from the scents. It was really strange.


	21. CH 20 Prophesy and Perfume

CH 20 "Prophesy and Perfume"

Thanks to my fantastic Beta Arnel, I now know that what Americans call a "ball point pen" is a "biro" in Great Britain. As usual, both Arnel and FriendofMolly contributed to this chapter. We have all been busy, but several additional chapters are getting close to being ready to publish. Thank all of you for reading. We would really appreciate reviews.

* * *

Tuesday morning January second was the second time no one could go to platform 9 ¾ from the Muggle part of the train station. There were special Floo connections set up, and special Portkeys. No one was going to be allowed to Apparate into or out of the station. Security was tight.

Harry insisted his extended family, plus Scorpius and Rose, arrive early and get on the train before most of the students were there. He went into the compartment that Albus, Rose, Scorpius and Cleopatra were in, made sure the Elf guards were also there, and checked the compartment and the whole train. Harry was again going to personally ride in the engine of the Hogwarts Express, with his mapping programs, surveying the train and the countryside.

As soon as the train pulled out of the station there were Dementors following it. Harry sent his Patronus to the Ministry asking for four additional Aurors, to help him and the four other Aurors already on the train, so they could keep Patronuses shadowing the train, keeping the Dementors well away from the students.

Once the train started moving one student after another found the compartment that Albus was in, and asked to see the Elder Wand. Al politely refused them all. Some students wanted to talk to Cleo about the attack on her, which was in the Prophet. She refused to talk about the attack.

Meeting the train were Professors McGonagall, Longbottom, and Professors Mr. and Mrs. Stanford and Mr. and Mrs. Appleleaf. Between the Aurors, the Professors, and some Elves the Dementors were kept well away from the children, but everyone was aware they were there.

Despite the somewhat scary ride to Hogwarts, the school term started without incident.

* * *

Later that evening Al VanLente, the head of the International Aurors, and Nausicaa Scheria, the head prophetess in Switzerland, asked Harry to come to meet them the next day, and to bring Ginny. When they arrived, there were two more beings greeting him, Mary, the older Elf who was, with her mate John, the senior Elves in Switzerland, taking care of the castle, and her daughter Arwen, the mother of Galadriel and Luthien, the two Elves currently attending Hogwarts. They went into what Harry knew was a very secure room. Waiting for them were Minerva McGonagall and Hermione Granger-Weasley. Shortly after they sat down Sibylla Papadopoulos, Nausicaa's granddaughter entered the room, along with Caroline VanLente, Al's wife.

Harry looked around the room, noticing that he and Al VanLente were the only men in the room.

Nausicaa started spoke first, saying, "Prophecy is not an exact science. We, the heirs of the Prophetesses of Delphi, know to read the signs of the times as much as we depend on the mysterious foretelling of the future. For many reasons we are at a critical time in the history of magical beings, not only the human Magi, but all magical beings.

"Harry, you know much of this, but I want Ginny and everybody to listen to some of the history, so we all can start to agree on where we are.

"Harry and Ginny are the Regents in Switzerland, exercising ownership of the entire magical Swiss valley of the Magi until the heirs come into their own. We know that every five hundred years or so another couple appears who could be the head witch and wizard, or who are for a brief period until something happens. The Prophesies say that Harry and Ginny are the last Regents.

"Harry, we know that you became the Regent when you defeated Tom Riddle, one on one in a duel, and that the duel, and the way you defeated Tom Riddle, was critical to why you inherited all the property that Riddle had accumulated by killing families. Riddle could not inherit the Swiss Valley, despite killing the last Regents, because he could not father children."

Harry said, "His male organs had shrunk until they were smaller than a child. He wanted personal immortality, not immortality through children. As far as we know he never had any children."

Mary the Elf said, "Harry, you did much more than just defeat Tom Riddle. You let the Elves investigate our own history. The Elves attached to the Palace were not pressed into slavery for your good, but encouraged to work for the good of the Magical world.

"The Elves have always had prophetesses, but the knowledge of it has been hidden for centuries. The prophetesses of Delphi always had Elf help. When you killed Tom Riddle, and became the regents for the eventual rulers in Switzerland, many things changed. Your treatment of house-elves, burying Dobby, arranging for a marker for the Elves who served Hogwarts for as many years as it has been in existence, having the Elfish names on the monument, and many other things, have changed who we are and what we can become.

"Elves and goblins are a sundered people. The work Albus and Rose did, along with others, on magic DNA proved it. Prophesies say that when the eventual queen and king of the Magi come there will also be a queen and king of the High Elves, and we will be reunited."

Harry said, "I know Magi have two additional magical base pairs, Psi (Φ) and Omega (Ω), in addition to A, G, C and T. You can only see the magical pair with magic. They do not seem to exist in the Muggle world."

Mary said, "Totally magical beings like Elves and merpeople do not have the same DNA at all. We are more different on the inside than on the outside. What is important is that magic, and magical creatures, came from outside."

Harry said, "Where outside? How?"

Mary said, "We do not know. For the first time in centuries we are looking at the oldest records. Big changes are coming, and we are trying to prepare."

Harry asked, "Does all this have something to do with the Elder Wand."

Nausicaa said, "The first wand came from the outside. It is the wand of she who will inherit the first place among the magical people of the world. It is prophesied that she will pay a heavy price when she becomes queen, but, God or the Powers Beyond willing, she will govern with wisdom. The first High Elf made a wand for her consort. Both wands are being used for the first time in centuries, by the eventual heirs of the first rulers of the High Elves. Galadriel has the first wand, and Thorin the goblin has the wand of her consort."

Al VanLente said, "The third wand, the female wand, the first wand made for humans, is in the hands of The Pirate Witch Queen of the Caribbean. She is Cleopatra's great-grandmother."

Harry said, "I already know that Cleo is probably going to have to fight her great-grandmother for the wand."

Nausicaa said, "Cleopatra and Albus, at least. I do not know how it will happen, but at some time it will."

Ginny said, "They are going to win, aren't they?"

Nausicaa said, "There are no guarantees, Ginny. Prophesies about a person die with that person."

Ginny said, "So when they have both wands are they king and queen?"

Nausicaa said, "There are objects that are critical to their success. There are three Chrystal Balls, the first three of the Magi. We have one here, the Pirate Witch Queen has one, and the Lord of the Dementors in Asia has one. The wands are important. There is also a ring that is important.

"I understand that when they have five of the six they will be something like crown prince and princess."

"What else?" Ginny asked.

"There are many prophecies and not all of them are trustworthy. One of the most trustworthy is also one of the most troubling. Before they become the heads of the Magi one of their children is supposed to die protecting them."

Ginny said, "That's horrible! No one wants one of their children to die. Parents are to die for their children, not let their children die for them. Does Albus know?"

Nausicaa said, "He knows, and it is one of the things that haunts him."

"What do we do?" asked Harry, wanting to move away from that particular prophesy.

Nausicaa said, "Ginny, we know your friendship with Cleopatra is going to be very important. It is very important to encourage their faith, to encourage them to be good people."

Ginny said, "Is that religion, or something else? Christians burned witches at the stake! I'm not in favour of that!"

Nausicaa said, "Most of the modern religions stress charity and goodness, doing unto others as you would have them do to you. They have all had bad moments, and people perverting their values, but they all distinguish good from evil, and expect people to try to be good.

"The people we are talking about are devotees of an older style religion, where the gods were not always good, and sometimes the most powerful god or gods were evil. You had to sacrifice to the god or gods to keep them from working their vengeance on you.

"The Aztec people sacrificed hundreds or thousands of captured people during their religious ceremonies. Jezebel Nukpana, the Pirate Witch Queen, and her ancestors, have the glass knife of the Aztec, and she has sacrificed, we figure, over four hundred humans a year for her one hundred year reign. That is over forty-thousand human beings she has tied to her alter, and then cut out their beating heart.

"The island is an evil place, and her presence in the world is evil."

Ginny said, "That's Cleopatra's great-grandmother?"

Al VanLente said, "Yes. She and her ancestors are an evil we have been fighting for centuries."

Hermione said, "The Lord of the Dementors is the other axis of evil in the world."

Nausicaa said, "The prophecies say that Cleo and Al have to fight Jezebel first. We should be able to keep the Dementors at bay until then."

Ginny asked, "Do I have to become Christian?"

Al said, "No. If Albus and Cleo want to practice their faith, encourage them and encourage them to be humble. They both will have tremendous power, and the power has corrupted most of the previous kings and queens of the Magi. They need to be willing to share power with Galadriel and Thorin. Albus will probably be their spokesperson, but he needs to acknowledge that he is only one among equals, even the least among equals. If he takes the lessons in humility in the Christian faith to heart it will help him and all the magical world."

Minerva McGonagall said, "Are you going to want us to have chapel at Hogwarts?"

Nausicaa said, "I expect next year Al will want a regular service of some sort. If all the students who learned Elfish come, they have several different faiths. I doubt if the services will all be Christian."

Minerva said, "I will know not to interfere if Albus and his friends want to have a regular meeting."

Harry said, "We know that both Albus and Cleopatra will face challenges, but we do not know what they are."

Minerva said, "Firenze says Albus and Cleopatra are destined to become friends with the centaurs, and maybe the merpeople as well. We have no idea how and when that will happen. They are not allowed in the Forbidden Forest, so how they will meet the centaurs is a puzzle to me."

Ginny said, "Albus is in Slytherin for a reason. He can be very sneaky. He avoids trouble as much by not being caught as by always being…as by always being… Oh, help. How do I say this?

"Albus really always tries to be good. He is as good a person as I know. He is just way too like Harry in that being good does not always mean following rules. Do you agree, Harry?"

Harry said, "Albus is real good at not getting caught. Much better than I ever was."

"Boggarts!" Minerva said, "Thank you for letting me know."

Nausicaa said, "Albus and Cleopatra are going to want to meet all their fellow Magi who have learned Elfish at the next International Confederation of Witches and Wizards. This is important."

Harry said, "We plan on being there, of course. Should we plan on taking Cleopatra and Scorpius?"

Nausicaa said, "Yes. We have no idea what will happen, but we know enough to know that it is important."

Ginny said, "Can you keep them safe?"

Everyone looked at Al VanLente, who said, "We will do our best. Albus and Cleopatra cannot just hide."

* * *

A couple of hours later, when the meeting was over, Ginny said to Harry, "I'm worried. I probably feel like my mother did before the Battle of Hogwarts. I am worried that more bad things are going to happen to our family."

Harry said, "I am worried too. I know we will all do our best to protect Albus and Cleopatra, and everyone. I just cannot promise that we will always succeed.

No one protected James when he was scarred," Ginny said. "I am worried about him too. Have you made any progress in finding out what caused his scarring?"

Harry said, "We have found two spells that could have caused James' scarring. The problem is that the antidote for one of them can kill you if the other one was used, and the antidote for the second one isn't much better. Neither works well if it has been a long time between the accident and when you try to use the antidote."

* * *

The scents of the Weasley cousins were subtle but distinctive. Within the first week word had spread that Cleo and Albus were responsible for the shampoo and soap. One day Patty Finnigan asked Cleo, "Could you make soap and shampoo for me?"

Cleo said, "All my supplies are in the Potions Room at Al's house. Let me examine you, and see what we can come up with." Cleo went over Patty with her wand, but wanted some sample scents to make her job easier. One by one other girls asked Cleo, and a few boys even asked her. Albus was also asked.

Saturday morning, fifteenth January, Albus went up to the head table and asked Professor McGonagall if he and Cleo could meet with her. She said, "After breakfast you may come with me up to my office."

When they were in the office Albus said, "Cleopatra and I have been working on scents, soap and shampoo that are customized for each person. Cleo does the final mixing, but I do a lot of the record keeping. All the Weasley cousins have their own soap and shampoo, and many other students are asking if we can make some for them. We wanted your permission before we did anything."

Professor McGonagall said, "I do not see anything wrong with making soap and shampoo for other students."

Albus said, "Some of the ingredients are quite expensive. If a student really does not have any money we will, of course, give them the soap and shampoo. If they are poor we can charge them a pittance. We really ought to be able to charge three galleons for soap and shampoo. Cleo and I have made some perfume as well, but we ought to charge ten galleons for that."

Professor McGonagall said, "I do not have any problem with you charging students who can pay."

Albus said, "Thank you! We really did not want to do anything without getting your permission first."

Professor McGonagall said, "Are you sure you are related to Fred Weasley, the son of George Weasley?"

Albus said, "I do not intend to cause you any trouble. We do have one other little problem, though."

Professor McGonagall said, "I could guess this was coming. What is your little problem?"

Albus said, "All the scent making supplies are back in the potions room in Grimmauld Place, and it would be real hard to move them here and set them up here. Is there any way we could go to Grimmauld Place this afternoon to make some shampoo?"

Professor McGonagall looked at Albus and Cleopatra, trying to figure out what to do. She said, "Wait at the bottom of the stairs. There are chairs in the corridor you can use."

Al and Cleo went down the stairs, sat on two chairs, and waited.

* * *

She looked at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore and said, "Albus, have you been listening? What would you do?"

Albus Dumbledore said, "Considering Albus' family history, I think I would encourage someone who asked politely instead of sneaking around. It is your decision, however, Minerva, not mine."

Professor McGonagall used her wizard/Muggle mobile and called Ginny, still amazed that she found it easier to use this contraption than make a Floo call. Ginny answered, "Hello, Minerva."

Professor McGonagall said, "Hello, Ginny. Albus and Cleopatra want to go to Grimmauld Place this afternoon and evening to make soap, shampoo, and perfume. He very politely asked my permission. I felt I had to talk to you first."

Ginny said, "Can they take your Floo over and back? I will make sure to call you before sending them back, so you can keep your Floo closed until they are ready to come back."

Professor McGonagall said, "I will send them by my Floo to your Floo. Call me when they are ready to come back. Let them know they have to be back before nine, so they have plenty of time to get to their rooms before curfew."

Ginny said, "I will make sure they are back soon enough."

* * *

The gargoyle at the bottom of the stairs opened the door and said, "Professor McGonagall will see you now."

Albus and Cleopatra ran back up the stairs. When they arrived Professor McGonagall said, "Mr. Potter, your mother and I agree that you may go, but both of you must be back before nine."

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Albus and Cleopatra said together.

Every two to three weeks Al and Cleo made more soap, shampoo, and perfume at Grimmauld Place. The scent business was thriving, and Albus and Cleopatra were making money. Meanwhile Rose and Scorpius were working with Bathsheba Babbling trying to read some of the oldest histories at Hogwarts. Some of the histories were in a very Old English, and others were in even older versions of other languages. Their hobby seemed to be doing research in the library.

Saturday, the Seventeenth of March, Victoire held another meeting of the cousins and friends. She said, "Who is going home for the Easter holiday. You leave March twenty-three, on a Friday, and come back April second, on a Monday.

"I am staying here revising. My NEWTS are in three months, and I have a lot of revising to do."

Molly Weasley said, "I am staying and revising too."

Roxanne said, "I'm going home."

Louis said, "Home or the Longbottom Mansion?"

Roxanne made a face at Louis.

Louis said, "I am going home."

James said, "The first Quidditch game of the spring, between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, is April seventh. I am going to stay here, with as much of the team as I can talk into staying here, and practice."

Albus said, "Cleo and I are going. We have some things we need to do for the scent business."

Rose said, "I am going to stay here."

Scorpius smiled at Rose. Albus knew that Scorpius was also staying, and that they were going to spend some serious time with Professor Babbling on the oldest of the histories.

Victoire said, "Has anyone found out any more about Professor Chen, or why James was scarred?"

No one said anything.

Victoire said, "Roxanne and Louis and I are going to be watching Professor Chen during the next Quidditch game."

* * *

Harry again rode on the Hogwarts Express as it went back to London March twenty-third. This time only four Aurors were on the train. There were no Dementors. After the train was safely back in London Harry called Minerva McGonagall, and she sent Albus and Cleopatra to Grimmauld Place via her private Floo.

Albus and Cleopatra spent the first part of Saturday working on the scent business. They went to church Saturday night, and arranged to talk to Father Jack Lewis the next Tuesday morning. Ginny went along with Harry and the children, bringing Lily Luna as well. Ginny seldom went to church, but if it was going to be important to Albus and Cleopatra she thought she ought to go.

Ginny knew that Harry had only 'sort of' joined the church, contributing and going to services, but never making the commitment that he needed to make to receive bread and wine. Ginny had no idea why this was important. The whole Christian religion seemed bizarre to her. Harry seemed closer to making a commitment, though.

Sunday, Albus and Cleopatra went to the usual Weasley Sunday morning breakfast gathering. That afternoon, after they were back at Grimmauld Place, Albus said to his parents, "We have sold over three-hundred and fifty sets of soap and shampoo. We have collected about three-hundred Galleons, because we sell some for a very much reduced rate, and with a few of the really poor students we have given them away. We have sold over thirty perfumes as well. We have six hundred Galleons. We want to buy about one hundred Galleons of scent making material. Cleo and I would like to have some spending money, but we should put four hundred Galleons in some sort of joint savings account."

Ginny said, "I can take you to Gringotts tomorrow."

Monday morning Ginny contacted Gringotts. She and Harry were very reluctant to have the children wander through Diagon Alley, so they arranged a private Floo connection from Grimmauld Place directly to the inside of Gringotts. Frerin and Dis, the elves shadowing Albus and Cleopatra, came along. Ginny came with Mitzi, but Molly, Ginny's mother, also accompanied them. Ginny, being eight months pregnant, was very big and very awkward.

When they arrived they were led to a private room. There Grabhook and another goblin met them, and had them all sit down.

Albus said, "Cleopatra and I need to set up an account for money we are earning from our scent business."

Grabhook looked at some records. Then he said, "You already have a joint account, and it has a fair sum of money in it. All the money Professor Snape left to you is in a joint account. It has to be. Soulmates are not two different people. All accounts are shared."

Ginny said, "I have my own account."

Grabhook said, "Not the same. You and Mr. Potter are two people, legally. According to the law of the Magi, and goblin law, Albus Severus Potter and Cleopatra Desiree Smith, although clearly two different people physically, are only one person financially. It is part of being soulmates."

Ginny said, "What if they marry someone else?"

Grabhook said, "It cannot happen. They are already married. Marriage may not be consummated, but are as tied together as is possible for two unique souls."

Ginny said, "There is apparently some sort of account set up to pay for Cleopatra's clothes and school supplies. Can we still pay for her personal supplies out of that account?"

Grabhook said, "As long as the account is funded, and the Malfoy family agrees, you may."

Ginny said, "We can continue to pay for Albus' books and clothes."

Grabhook said, "Yes, I would treat Albus as your minor child, with no hint to the outside world that he is different. I would not publicize the existence of this account, or that Albus and Cleopatra have more money than what they have earned."

"Yes, sir," Albus said to Grabhook. Cleo nodded her acceptance as well.

Grabhook waved his hand, and said, "I see you have the rings."

The rings became visible on Albus and Cleo's hands.

"One of the teachers was trying to get into our minds," Albus said. "The ring from Professor Snape prevented him from getting into my head."

Grabhook asked, "Did you give the other ring to your soulmate?"

"Not exactly," Albus said, knowing he had to be truthful. "I showed Cleo the ring, but she put it on herself. I knew she had it on, and I approved, afterwards."

Cleo looked ashamed. "Was I supposed to wait until Albus gave me the ring? I know I'm a little, somewhat, pushy sometimes. I'm sorry. It's just, Professor Chen was messing with my brain, and I didn't like it, and Albus said this could help, so I really didn't want to wait, and, besides, we are soulmates, so, so, so I wasn't worried. Should I have been?"

Molly grinned, and said, "I understand that a woman should wait for a man to give her a ring before saying yes."

Ginny smirked. "I just said, 'yes' a little early."

Cleo said, " **YES!"**

Ginny's face fell, as she contemplated the excited 'yes' from Cleo. Ginny remembered how eager she was at sixteen to get Harry into the marriage bed, even before the wedding ceremony. A world of worried expressions flew across her face.

Cleo looked at Ginny, and was at the same time worried, ashamed but only a little, and excited about being Albus' soulmate. She returned a world of conflicted emotions back to Ginny, as the two of them looked at each other.

There was a very awkward two minutes of silence.

Finally Albus said, "As far as anyone else is concerned, we have to pretend we are just best friends. We still have to wait years before we can be married in the eyes of anybody else."

Ginny said, "I do not know why I am so worried, Cleo, Albus. So far you have handled this being soulmates with a maturity way beyond your years."

Ginny wished she felt as confident as the words she had just said, and her bearing told of her conflict.

Albus said, "We do need to go to buy more scent making supplies. Are we done here?"

Grabhook said, "Yes. Everything is in order."

Albus and Ginny both left Gringotts a little uneasy, feeling like there was a lot left unsaid.

Cleopatra was happy, however.

Albus, Cleo and the rest walked directly from Gringotts to the shop where they purchased more scent making supplies. An Auror and two other officers from the DMLE approached them, and one of them said, "We have seen people looking at you, and are concerned."

Ginny asked if they could use the Floo at the shop. They were given permission; shop Floo connections were normally very restricted, to prevent theft. They took the Floo back to number twelve, Grimmauld Place.

Cleopatra put all the scent making supplies down on the kitchen table, and started to excitedly talk to Albus about what she was going to be doing with the supplies. Albus watched, made occasional comments, and even started writing down notes on several pieces of paper. As Cleo waved her arms and talked with her whole body Albus smiled, and occasionally kidded Cleo.

Finally Ginny said, "How about saying 'Yes' to lunch."

Cleo looked at the ring on her hand, and then at the rings on Ginny's hand. "Did you really say 'yes' to Mr. Potter before he asked you to marry him?"

Ginny said, "If I remember, I not only said yes, I said, something like, 'engaged, I cannot believe it. Thank you, thank you.' I was scared to death that I had pushed too far, but I really wanted to marry Mr. Potter."

Albus said, "What did Dad do?"

"Say we were engaged," Ginny said. "After he got over the shock he was very happy."

"Do I ever shock you?" Cleo asked Albus.

"Shock, not really," Albus said. "Surprise, wonder, absolute delight, and amusement, all the time. I think Uncle Ron keeps Aunt Hermione from being too serious, and I think you do the same for me."

"I'm usually pretty happy," Cleo said. "I'm happier now than I have ever been. It's not just Albus, any more. Well, it is sort of everything, but Mum Potter, you make me happy too. Thank you."

Ginny put her arms around Cleo, and said, "You are very welcome, Cleo. Now let is make some lunch, before you and Albus disappear into the Potions Room."

It was hard to feel sad around Cleo, Ginny thought. Overwhelmed, yes, but sad, not really. Well, if she wanted a quiet life she wouldn't be married to Harry Potter, and she wouldn't be pregnant again. Ginny had to laugh too.

Tuesday, Albus and Cleopatra spent a couple of hours talking to Father Jack Lewis. Cleopatra was eager to do anything Albus wanted, but this joining a church, deciding to believe certain things, do some things, and not do others, was different. She could not just do it to please Albus. It was almost like a transformation, and she needed to transform. Cleopatra knew she was willing, but she doubted that she was ready.

Wednesday, the band assembled for practice. They spent a good portion of the day practicing and arranging music. Albus had taught Cleo how to get what someone played to appear on sheet music. It was a power spell, not a transformation. The paper and pens were already there, and as you played the pen would write down what you played. Albus had found that biros were a whole lot less messy than quills, and paper was available with musical staffs already on it, and was a lot cheaper than parchment.

Ginny watched some of the practice. She had never been all that musical, and seeing the way the musicians all worked together to make a piece of music special was enjoyable. Albus could certainly play, but he was nowhere near as good as Cal Glenbell. Cleo was usually very good, but once in a while, as she was working out a new arrangement in her head, she just lost it while they were playing. Whenever someone made a horrible mistake, or lost their place, Cleo would throw up her hands, and laugh, causing everyone, including the person who made the mistake, to laugh as well.

Cleo was also very good at telling the others when to be quiet, and when to be loud. Christy Shook, the drummer, could get carried away, but Cleo had some very sparse drum arrangements that everybody agreed were much better for the music than the occasionally way too loud and frenetic arrangements that Christy gravitated towards.

The whole family went to church Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and to the Easter Sunrise service. Lily Luna complained. Harry was obviously very moved. Cleo tried hard to understand. And Ginny was confused, because she really felt that she didn't need any of this religion stuff, but it was obviously very important to some people, including Harry, and especially Albus.

The children went back to Hogwarts without any problems, but like before, Albus and Cleo went by Floo to Professor McGonagall's office.

After the children were back at Hogwarts, Harry asked Ginny, "Do you like Cleo? You spent some time with just her, and more time with Cleo and Albus."

"I'm not sure I have much of a choice," Ginny said. "After we had signed the engagement documents, but before we were married, Bill was your 'brother-in-love.' I think Cleo is already our 'daughter-in-love.' "

"Do you LIKE her?" Harry asked again.

"LIKE is too little a word for Cleo," said Ginny. "I have accepted that our lives are going to be a good deal more exciting because of Cleo. She has a fierce love for Albus, and I can see her beginning to have a fierce love for the whole family. I love her like a daughter. Somehow like is too trivial a word when it comes to her."

"Not easy, but good," Harry said.

"Something like that," Ginny said. "Boggarts."


	22. CH 21 The Spring Gryffindor Quiddit

CH 21 The Spring Gryffindor Quidditch Match.

I want to apologize to readers who have been waiting for this chapter. I have been on a month long trip. My Beta readers sent this back a long time ago. Thanks, Arnel and FriendofMolly.

* * *

April seventh dawned clear and warm, and almost all of the students were eagerly anticipating the first Quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor was going to be playing Hufflepuff.

All the cousins except James, who was the Seeker for Gryffindor, and Roxanne, who was a second string Beater, were at an early morning meeting.

Victoire said, "Molly, Louis and I are going to be watching Professor Chen. Cleo and Albus, I want you two to keep a good eye on James. If someone is after James we want you to be able to levitate him, catch him, do something."

Albus said, "Rose and Cleo are going to be in the Gryffindor stands, and Scorpius and I are going to be in the Slytherin stands. That way we have two different views of anything that is happening.

Victoire said, "Do we have any idea where Professor Chen is going to be?"

No one said anything.

"Boggarts," said Victoire.

Albus said, "You have my map. Professor Chen's name will appear in red, larger than any other name, as soon as he is anywhere close to the Quidditch pitch. Remember, it will say 'Dragon Chen' not 'Professor Chen.'"

Victoire said, "We are going to be at the castle entrance closest to the Quidditch stadium until we see something."

Harry, Ginny and Lily Luna were in the Slytherin stands with Albus and Scorpius when the game began, and Ron and Hermione were in the Gryffindor stand with Rose and Cleo. For half an hour nothing happened. Then a lot of things seemed to happen at once.

It looked like a lightning bolt came out of an upstairs window of the castle, hitting and destroying James' brand new Firebolt broom. James tumbled from the sky. Cleo took out her wand and focused it on James, cushioning his fall. She said, "I have James. He will be fine. I can gently let him down."

Professors Mr. and Mrs. Appleleaf were also pointing their wands at James, helping to lower him.

At the same time the portion of the Slytherin stands that Harry, Ginny, Lily Luna, Albus and Scorpius were on began to collapse. Harry and Albus both worked to steady the stands. Elves flew towards the window, as did Roxanne. Two of the Elves were knocked from their brooms, disappearing with a crack on their way down.

Harry could see spells being thrown from the upstairs window, and then everything was quiet.

Madam Henrietta Hooch-Hepplewhite called a time out, and conferred with her mother, Madam Rolanda Hooch, and with Donna Lionheart, Ginny's old Harpies Chaser partner, the Quidditch expert.

Madam Swan was examining James. James' hands had been burned by the spell that destroyed his broom. James was obviously in pain, as well as very angry. Anybody looking at the pitch could see that James was furious!

Jim Shook, one of the Aurors who was a personal guard for Harry, flew into the window, and very quickly flew out towards Harry. "Climb on the back of my broom, Harry," Jim said. "You need to see this."

The two men flew up to and into the window. On the floor was Professor Dragon Chen, bound firmly by magical cords. He had been stripped to his undergarments. Standing there, looking very satisfied, were Victoire, Molly, and Louis.

"We had to run up nine flights of stairs, break through the defences on the door, bind him and take away his wands," Victoire said, a little out of breath. "We all knew what we had to do. It was teamwork. You don't mess with the Weasley cousins!"

"Good work!" said Harry, wishing he had thought of using the magical map this time. "Two wands? I will make sure we have a wand specialist here as soon as possible."

Victoire said, "You should get Albus up here. He says he has some sort of recording spell on this map."

Jim Shook said, "I will get him." Jim flew down, and said to Albus, "Your cousin wants you. Something about a recording spell on a map."

Albus climbed on the back of the broom, and they flew up to and into the window.

Victoire said, "Do you want to save the last minutes of what the map recorded?"

Albus said, "Yes." He waved his wand over the map, touching all four corners. Then he said, "See the date and time on the map. I can play back a half hour of what the map saw. I have to stop it right away, or all the information will be lost."

"When did you figure out how to do that?" Harry asked.

Albus said, "Cleo and I have been examining what kind of power spells are involved in making the map. It is really advanced magic, real tricky. Together we figured out how to record, but we need to get a lot better at it. Right now it takes both of our wands, with their special powers, to do it. We cannot teach it to anyone else, but we are working on it."

By this time several Ministry officials, including more Aurors, were in the room. They took Professor Chen away. They interviewed the cousins, and anybody else who had information. They took both wands, and Professor Chen's clothes.

Cleo noticed Roxanne flying out of the window. She flew down to James, and the two of them spoke, and then James mounted Roxanne's broom, and the two of them flew away. A short time later they were back, James on his Student Firebolt broom. James hands were bandaged, and Madam Swan was obviously not real happy, but apparently James was going to be able to play. Cleo noticed that the crotch of James pants was also burned, and that James mounted the broom rather gingerly.

An hour after the match was halted, and after Madam Swan had examined James hands and put lotion on them twice more, the game started again.

Harry walked down the stairs with Victoire, Molly, and Lewis, plus the other people who were in the room. He went up to Ginny and said, "I need to go back to the Ministry to take care of this."

When Harry arrived at the Ministry a wand specialist met him. He was working on the second wand that they had found on Dragon Chen. The specialist said, "It looks like this wand was only used occasionally, and for dodgy things. It will probably take me a day to give you a good history of the last year."

After making sure that everything was in order at the Ministry, Harry and Jim Shook Apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts where the Magi guarding the gates quickly let them back in. They could hear cheers from the Quidditch stadium, and the almost ran to see what was happening in the game.

James and the Hufflepuff Seeker were chasing after the Snitch. At the same time the Gryffindor team was scoring points, not letting the chase for the Snitch slow them down. James put his hand on the Snitch just as his team scored another point, and it looked like he hesitated in grabbing the Snitch just long enough to allow his team one more point. It was brilliant play.

As soon as James landed Madam Swan marched right up to him, Madam Pomfrey right behind her. The two Matrons levitated James off the pitch, and every one could guess that he would be spending some time in the infirmary. Erica Lionheart ran right after James, obviously upset.

Ginny went down to the pitch to meet Harry. Donna Lionheart came over to see her.

Ginny said, "Was Erica upset that James hurt his hands?"

Donna said, "Maybe, but she may have been more upset that James' new broom was destroyed. James and Erica are as fanatical about Quidditch as I was."

Ginny turned to Harry, and said, "What did you find out?"

Harry said, "We will talk later."

By this time most of the Weasley clan was around Harry. Harry said, "If we all tromp up and into the hospital the Matrons are going to be furious. Ginny and I will go, and then we will report back to everyone."

Professor McGonagall approached the group. She said, "Will all the adults except Harry and Ginny please go home. I am sure Harry and Ginny will have plenty to tell you tomorrow when you meet at the New Burrow. Students, I will let our Head Girl accompany Mr. and Mrs. Potter, and then, since she seems to run a cousins and friends group, she can report back to all of you."

Victoire said, "Meet in the large room under the Gryffindor common room," to the cousins, and the cousins and the others that met with them all worked their way to the largest of the smaller rooms one story below the common room.

Harry, Ginny and Victoire went up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey met them. James was yelling something. They could hear Madam Swan saying, "We should have treated this as soon as you were injured."

James said, "Drop my pants in the middle of the Quidditch pitch? Oh, Damn… Boggerts… Oh, Oh."

Madam Swan said, "You are going to have a hard time walking for a day or two, and you need to spend the night here. At least you didn't get hurt badly enough to keep you from fathering children someday."

Ginny looked over to where Erica Lionheart was sitting. Erica was mortified, not wanting to look Ginny in the eye. "Just don't grab James down there on your wedding night," Ginny said. "That will dampen the romance in a big hurry."

Harry looked at Ginny and said, "We were so naive."

Victoire said, "I will be sure to remember that when Teddy and I get married."

Erica looked like she was trying to make herself invisible.

Madam Swan came out from behind the curtains.

Ginny said, "I don't expect James is going to want us to examine his injuries," loud enough so James could hear.

"NO!" James yelled, and then, softly, "It hurts to yell."

Erica said, "I am leaving, James. I don't expect you want to see me right now."

James said, "Yes, No, not right now, Oh … OH … Boggarts."

Victoire said, "Madam Swan, I have to tell the cousins something."

Madam Swan said, "You can tell them that James will be fine in a couple of days. I had a little repair work to do, and I am sure James does not want me to describe it. He is going to be very tender down there for at least two days, and feel it for a week or so. He will recover fully, though. I treated his hands right away, so they are fine."

Harry peeked in behind the curtain. James was covered where the repair was done. Harry said, "Professor Chen did it. Victoire, Molly and Louis caught him. I will tell you more tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile, it does get better, eventually."

James looked like he was going to say something, but it was almost too much effort. Madam Swan bustled in, and said, "Take this, James. You will feel better in the morning."

Harry, Ginny being supported by Harry and Mitzi, and Victoire left the hospital.

Ginny said, "We are taking the Floo home, Harry. I am beginning to feel like a rather large house, and need to get off my feet. If this child cooperates she will come before the end of May."

* * *

Albus and Cleo saw Victoire enter the meeting room, followed by Erica Lionheart. Victoire said, "James' hands are fine. His boy parts needed some repair, and he is going to be pretty tender down there for a week or so, but otherwise he is fine."

Roxanne said, "Is that why you are here, Erica? Interested in James boy parts?"

Erica did not say anything, but she was obviously more than a little embarrassed.

Victoire said, "Erica, if you are going to be in this group, and you are welcome, you need to get used to some good-natured kidding."

Cleo, who was developing better and better instincts when it came to boy and girl things, could see that Erica was beginning to look at James as more than just a good Quidditch player, but she did not say anything.

* * *

Sunday, Harry went into work. Several of the staff who did not usually work on the weekend were in trying to figure out how and why James was attacked.

Oliver Oddpick, the Auror who was best at discovering which spells a wand has cast, was slowly and methodically working his way back through the history of Dragon Chen's second wand. It was the wand that had destroyed James's broomstick.

Oliver told Harry, "James is very lucky the spell Dragon used hit just the broomstick. A few inches higher and you could have forgotten about getting any grandchildren out of James."

"Do you have any idea which spell caused James's Potion injuries?" asked Harry.

"I think so," Oliver said, "but there is quite a bit more mischief, and I am having a very hard time figuring what it all is. There is something about a knife, and it is not exactly targeted just to you or your family. I am trying to go back to before Dragon came to Hogwarts to get some insights into why he did what he did. The wand has not been used much, so I may be able to go back two or three years, something really unusual."

Later, Harry talked to one of his best interrogators, a wizard good at memory management as well, Henry Gambol. Henry said, "There is something in Dragon's background that makes him hate the Potter family. I am having a hard time finding out what it is, but I do not think it is specific to anyone but you. I think he wants to hurt you by hurting your family."

"He is not focused on Albus, then," Harry said.

Oliver said, "No, I think he hates everybody in your family."

Harry asked, "Do we have any reason why?"

Oliver said, "I can feel resentment, but I cannot figure out why. We may need to find out more about his family and his personal history to understand him."

Harry said, "I have not put Bill Weasley on it yet, but Bill and the Goblins can find out some information. We have asked the Chinese Ministry of Magic, but they do not have much. His family are chemists, mostly magical but some Muggle compounds."

Oliver said, "Dragon Chen is being very uncooperative, and I feel that we have not seen the end of the mischief he has set in motion."

* * *

Monday afternoon, Harry received a call on his magical/Muggle mobile from Minerva McGonagall. She said, "Elessar Wong has agreed to come and teach Potions starting next Monday. Arwen, his wife, is still finishing up her year contract in China, but she will be here by the middle of the summer."

Harry said, "We agreed to hire Elessar and Arwen a year ago. I am glad that Elessar is willing to leave his wife and come early."

Minerva said, "He will be going back to China on weekends, but it is better than not having a second Potions teacher. Julia Kettleburn is a good assistant, but she is no good as a teacher."


	23. CH 22 Gender and a Twitchy Witch

CH 22 Gender and a Twitchy Witch

This chapter is dedicated to Jackie, our youngest, who was born male but is transitioning to female. Chloe has been somewhat masculine from my first writing of her years ago. As always, helpful edits from Arnel and FriendofMolly.

* * *

The Monday evening after the Quidditch game Cleo went into her dormitory room. The only other person there was Chloe Koizumi, the daughter of Cho Chang. Cleo said, "I have not made any soap and shampoo for you, Chloe. Do you want some?"

Chloe said, "All the soap and shampoo makes you smell like a girl."

Cleo said, "We make boy soap and shampoo that makes you smell like a boy."

Chloe said, "I would rather smell like a boy."

Cleo said, "I can examine you, and we can talk, and maybe I can make a scent that you will like."

Chloe said, "I don't want to smell like a girl because I really don't want to be a girl. I wish I was Charles instead of Chloe."

Cleo said, "I can make my bed private. I will close the curtains of my four-poster and put a Silencing Spell on them so we can be private."

Cleo and Chloe sat on the bed, and Cleo closed the curtains and did a silent privacy spell.

Cleo examined Chloe with her wand, trying to find out something about her, and about her gender. Biologically she was a girl, but mentally there was something more masculine than feminine. So Cleo said, "You really do want to be a boy."

Chloe said, "I always wanted to be masculine. When there were fairy tales of princes and princesses I always want to be the prince rescuing the princess. Even when there were heroines in a story I wanted to be the strong male, the hero, and not the female. I am terrified that my body is going to start changing, and I do not want boobs, or a period. Girls are soft and curvy, and I want to be hard and strong and tough."

Cleo said, "Have you told your parents?"

Chloe said, "Yes, and they don't take me seriously."

Cleo said, "Have you told anyone else?"

Chloe said, "No. Who could I tell?"

Cleo said, "Madam Swan. Maybe she can stop puberty while you figure this out. Maybe there is some sort of Transfiguration spell that can change you into a man instead of a woman."

Chloe said, "I asked Professor Appleleaf, but he said gender changes were some of the trickiest and hardest. He said we might learn about them seventh year. By that time it will be too late!"

Cleo said, "It is half past eight. We have an hour and a half before curfew. We are going up to the hospital."

The two girls went to the hospital. They knocked on the door and peered in. Cleo said, "We want to talk to you."

Madam Swan said, "Come in. What do you want to talk to me about?"

Cleo said, "Gender."

Madam Swan said, "Are you worried that you have not started puberty yet, Chloe? It comes at different times for different people. Cleo is a little ahead of schedule."

Cleo looked at Chloe, and when she didn't speak Cleo said, "When I examine girls or boys to make soap and shampoo I can usually get a strong gender reading. I can also see if a boy is more interested in boys than girls; we have a couple of boys like that at school. But Chloe wants to be a boy, and I can see a feminine biology but a masculine persona. Can you stop puberty so Chloe could figure it out?"

Chloe said, "Could you, please! I am terrified that puberty will start and I will be stuck being a girl, and I really do not want to be a girl."

Madam Swan examined Chloe, and then said, "I do have to contact your parents, but I think there may be a case for delaying puberty and figuring this out."

Chloe said, "I must be the only person in the whole school who has ever felt this way."

Madam Swan said, "You are not alone. There is a second year boy who wants to be a girl."

Cleo said, "Patrick Lee from Ravenclaw? He is the other one I have examined, where I could not get a clear gender."

Madam Swan said, "He is very embarrassed to talk about it, but he really wants to be a girl."

Chloe said, "Maybe we can trade bodies."

Madam Swan said, "It is not that simple, but the Transformations do work better if there is a male and a female involved. Come up here tomorrow night, about the same time."

As the girls walked back to the Gryffindor dorm Chloe said, "Thank you, Cleo. I did not think you would be the one to understand. You are so female, so happy to be getting breasts and hips and periods and all that growing up female entails."

Cleo said, "I LOVE being female. It is just that I thought gender was simple. Examining people for shampoo and soap, seeing who likes who, which couples are a good fit, is a whole lot more complicated than I thought it would be."

* * *

Tuesday afternoon Cleo was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Chloe and Hanna McGonagall, and Al joined them. Al said "I'm going to see all my family for the twentieth anniversary of The Battle of Hogwarts. Are your parents going to be there?"

Hanna said, "I think my parents are going to be here just to see me."

Chloe said "I've asked my mother, but she is not sure. She said something about your mother, Al, being a twitchy witch, and she just didn't want any more conflict. Maybe if your mother asked her she would come. I tried to talk to my mother about your mother over Christmas, but she does not want to talk about it. It's hard to get her to talk about some things."

Al said, "Maybe I could help more if I knew a little more about you. I mean, you all know about my family. We are in the papers some times, and all the cousins except Fred and Dominique are here at Hogwarts, plus my little sister and Rose's little brother, but they are going to be here in a couple of years. Fred you probably met at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes."

"My dad's Japanese," said Chloe. "He's a British citizen, born here as were his parents, but both sets of grandparents were born in Japan, and my dad was sent to Japan to boarding school instead of going to Hogwarts. They own property, apartment buildings, and my dad and grandfather maintain them and remodel them, with some magic as well as Muggle materials. We live in a nice size flat in an apartment building the family owns, and my dad has a really big workshop in the cellar of the building. It's really a magical place, the workshop. I love to build wands and swords and battle stuff. Dad says I should have been a boy, because I like playing rough like boys, but when I told Mum I wanted to be a boy she almost laid a dragon egg. Dad kids me about it, but he doesn't take me seriously.

"Mum's parents own a Chinese restaurant, and Mum worked there until she became an Auror. I asked how they met, and mum told me. Mum said she had never eaten in the dining room of her parents' restaurant, always in the kitchen. Once she was an Auror she was sick of cooking, and she didn't know how to cook for one anyway. So eventually she got into a routine of eating out, breakfast and lunch at the Ministry of Magic, and dinner at a different restaurant each night. One night she was at a Japanese restaurant that was her regular Thursday night dinner and my dad said, "You were not here last week?"

"Mum said, "Who are you?" and dad said, "Edward Koizumi. I've noticed you here almost every Thursday, roughly the same time but not exactly, like you come after work, and come after it is done not at the same time. But you were missing last week. It's not easy finding a witch with a responsible job, and I was intrigued."

"How do you know I'm a witch?" asked Mum, and Dad said, "By your wand. If you are a wizard it's not hard to tell. How about us eating dinner at the same table? If we both pay for our own dinner it's not like you're obligated to me or anything." Dad said he could see Mum was real skittish about getting involved with someone. They ate dinner, and Dad talked a little about what he did, and at the end he said, "I don't believe I've gotten your name."

"And Mum said "Chang, Cho Chang." Dad asked if they could eat dinner together the next Thursday, and for seven or eight Thursdays they did, and Mum gradually told dad more about herself.

"Well, sometime during their conversations Dad learned what restaurant my grandparents own, and he ate dinner there about four times checking it out. Finally he said to Mum, "I would like to take you out on a real date tomorrow night. I will dress in my finest Muggle suit. I would like you dressed up like we really are boyfriend and girlfriend. And then I am going to take you out to Chang's Chinese, and we are going to eat in the semi-private little corner in the back of the restaurant. I'll pick you up at your flat, and walk you around the block, and will have reservations for Mr. Edward Koizumi and guest."

"So Mum bought a real pretty dress, I mean she still has it, and it has a slit up the skirt about as high up as, well, I think Cara would be in trouble if she tried to wear something like that to a ball in Hogwarts, and not real low cut in front but low enough, and real pretty, and dad picked her up. I guess there was quite a scene when they showed up at the front. Grandma Lee was at the front desk and she had to run and tell everybody, and I guess it was quite a scene. And then at the end of the meal Dad gave Mum a little, four inch by five inch or so, carving he had made of the two of them sitting cross legged eating in the Japanese restaurant, with her in the wood of her wand and he in the wood of his wand, mother of pearl for the table top, black ebony around the outside. It's really a spectacular piece, and we still have it, in a place of honour.

"Well, Mum says that her parents really wanted her to marry a Chinese boy, and Dad says his parents kept introducing him to all these shy nothings of Japanese girls, and it was real touchy with the grandparents, but by this time both parents were getting a little desperate. Dad says that he probably could have brought in and introduced almost any eligible female and his parents would have found something to like about her, and Mum's parents were getting the same way, but the grandparents were a little tougher. The conflict is all simmering below the surface, and everybody is polite like Oriental families can be, but it is still there. That's probably why Mum does not want your mother to get mad at her too. She has enough trouble navigating between the two grandmas."

Al said with the kind of sympathy that he was an expert as showing, "Thank you for sharing this. I think it will make a real difference when I talk to my mother." He then looked at Chloe to give her the sign to continue.

"Well," said Chloe "they got married in a very small ceremony about six months after they first met, only immediate family there, and I was born less than nine months later, and my little sister Cara about two years after I was born, and after we were a year old we were raised by my two maternal grandmothers. Grandma Lee would get us for two weeks and Grandma Yamaoka would get us for two weeks, and then Grandma Lee would have one of us and Grandma Yamaoka the other, and then we would switch. Grandma Lee taught us mostly in Chinese and Grandma Yamaoka mostly in Japanese, so we know both languages fluently. And I think both Grandmothers wanted to see how much knowledge they could pour into our heads, because we got really high scores on the Muggle tests, even though they were English tests. Oh, we got plenty of English teaching from Mum and Dad when we were not with the Grandmothers.

"And Mum says she has enough trouble with the two competitive grandmothers, and she would just as soon not have twitchy Ginny Weasley Potter in the mix as well."

Al said, "I think my mother would not want to have your mother worried about her after all these years. It's going to be twenty years from the Battle of Hogwarts. I'll try and talk to her."

* * *

That night Cleo and Chloe went back to the hospital. Madam Swan was there, as was Danny Lee.

Cleo said, "Hi, Danny. This is Chloe Koizumi."

Danny said, "You really want to be a boy, Chloe?"

Chloe nodded her head, and then said, "Why would you want to be a girl? You can do so much more as a man than as a woman."

Danny said, "You cannot have babies, and nurse babies. Besides, girls are nice and soft and prettier."

Chloe said, "I never wanted to be soft and pretty. I want to be strong and brave and tough and anything but girly."

Danny said, "I always wanted to be roundish and girly. I wanted to be the princess. Princesses can be pretty and not hard, but brave like Mrs. Potter. She is a girl, and a brave one, but she is pretty. Your mother, Chloe, she is a brave Auror, but she is pretty too."

Chloe said, "After she had me and my sister, Mum was not allowed to lead raids for almost four years. I would not mind marrying a girl, I guess, if I was a boy, but I don't want to be one."

Danny said, "I've dreamed of marrying a boy, and having babies. I don't want to just look like a girl. I want to be one."

Madam Swan said, "It is even hard to take Polyjuice and transform into someone of the opposite sex. You are warned never to try Polyjuice when you might be pregnant. Doing so can easily kill you and is often fatal to the baby.

"There are ways to transform into a member of the opposite sex. The easy ways leave you sterile, and often sexually incapable of fully enjoying sexual activities. There is a way to transform totally, but it takes three months, and it works much better if a boy and a girl are doing it at the same time."

"I want that," Danny said.

"So do I," Chloe said.

Madam Swan said, "First, we need to contact your parents. You are both going to need your parents' permission. Then we need to have psychologists, healers who concentrate on the mind and emotions, to examine you. Once you have had the transformation and have gone through puberty there is no going back. Changing gender is not easy."

"Let's do it," Chloe said.

Madam Swan said, "Cleo, you may be excused now. I need to work with these two. Please keep this confidential for now."

Cleo said, "I will not tell anyone but Albus, and I will tell him not to tell anyone. We are really good at keeping secrets, but we cannot keep any secrets from each other."

* * *

Cleo and Al already had a lot of orders for shampoo and perfume, and so Friday they asked Professor McGonagall if they could have permission to take the Floo to Al's house in the afternoon and evening to make the shampoo. They would promise to be back before curfew. Albus had always been so polite and nice, and had always tried to be helpful. Professor McGonagall could even see the change he was beginning to work in the Slytherin students. So she agreed, and after she had wondered again how Al could talk her into giving him permission to do things that she would never allow anyone else to do.

When they arrived at Grimmauld Place, Albus said to his mother, "You know Cho Chang. Her daughter Chloe is roommates with Cleo."

Ginny said, "Chloe Chang?"

Albus said, "No, she is Chloe Koizumi. Her father is Japanese, and her mother Ms. Chang is Chinese. I guess the grandparents are not happy that they married."

Ginny asked, "Is that why Cho did not take her husband's last name?"

Albus said, "I don't know about that. I know that Chloe's mother says she has had enough trouble with the grandparents, and she doesn't come to the Battle of Hogwarts Anniversaries because she doesn't want to be fighting you, too. I do not know what happened, but she seems to think that you are mad at her. She calls you a twitchy witch."

Ginny said, "I was pretty sharp with her twenty years ago, but not anymore. She was your Dad's first girlfriend, sort of. I had a couple of boyfriends before your father and I started to go together. But all that is way in the past. We are just a couple of middle aged, married witches now."

Albus said, "It would be good to tell Ms. Chang, so she can see Chloe during the Anniversary." Albus proceeded to tell his mother all about how Ms. Chang met Mr. Koizumi.

After she and Albus talked Ginny did remember at least one other very touchy confrontation with Cho, one that she was rather ashamed of later.

The next Monday about 11:30 AM a very pregnant Ginny walked up to Cho's desk. Cho politely said "Hello Mrs. Potter," as Ginny gingerly sat down, Mitzi helping her.

Ginny started in, "This twitchy witch wishes to apologize for making you think I was mad at you or jealous of you for all of the last twenty years. It's my fault. I am a little twitchy, I guess. I have not been nearly as secure as I should have been, and it's my fault not yours."

"You don't have to apologize, Ginny," said Cho, a little taken back by the start of this conversation.

"We're a couple of old married witches, Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Koizumi," said Ginny, "and if anything that happened twenty years ago is keeping you from seeing your daughter on the Twentieth Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts I want to make sure it's not me."

"Who have you been talking to?" asked Cho.

"Albus, my middle child," said Ginny. "He has talked to Chloe, and when he gets someone to talk it is amazing what gossip he can get. He got the whole story of how you met your husband and the ongoing simmering conflict between the girls' Japanese and Chinese grandmothers, and what a marvellous woodworker your husband is. I think Harry and I are going to have to try Chang's Chinese one of these days."

"I've heard a little about Albus Severus Potter," said Cho. "Is he really as good with magic as she says he is?"

"Probably," said Ginny. "He's scary some times. Harry's worried, Al is that good."

"Rose sounds like another Hermione," said Cho. "Chloe says Scorpius Malfoy is a male Hermione. Is this possible?"

Ginny said "I've met Scorpius. He flies, and Al is going to try and teach him, have the family teach him, how to be a better Quidditch player this summer. Rose, like Hermione, hates to fly. But otherwise yes, he is sort of a male Hermione."

Cho asked, "Have you met Cleopatra?" a questioning look on her face.

"She was at our house over Christmas break, and I took her shopping for clothes," said Ginny with a smile.

Cho grinned and said, "Chloe says she's big and awkward and not really pretty but sort of sexy and has an amazing huge nose and sense of smell and makes perfume and shampoo for the girls and boys and is sort of a really good magician when she is but sometimes she isn't."

"It's not an inaccurate description," said Ginny. "Come to the Anniversary and meet her! I've not hexed anyone in quite a while, and the last time it wasn't because I was jealous of some witch but because a couple of gits were hassling Albus, and I almost lost my wand over that one." Ginny was laughing at this point, and Cho had a smile on her face, and had finally sort of relaxed.

"Thank you for coming here and talking to me, Ginny," said Cho. "I guess after twenty years we should not still be worried about …"

"If you want to take Harry to the Ravenclaw common room I will not be jealous," said Ginny with a shy smile. "By this time I know that even if some bitchy witch did try and make a pass at him, Harry is so naive and so faithful that I don't have a worry. It's taken me a very long time to get to that point, though, and I am sorry for you and anyone else I may have hurt because of it."

"Harry is a very good man, Ginny," said Cho. "You are very lucky."

"Thank you, Cho," said Ginny. "I know I am."

With the aid of Mitzi, Ginny slowly pushed herself up from the chair. Being pregnant when you had a bad sense of balance maybe was not the smartest thing in the world, Ginny though. Getting bigger on top had worked too well, and she was very awkward. Oh, well, she had spells on her body and the wand that could keep her from falling and hurting herself, and of course Mitzi, always, when she was out. Ginny found Harry and had lunch with him before heading back to the New Burrow and another confrontation with Lily about getting her school work done.


	24. CH 23 First Visit with the Centaur

CH 23 First Visit with the Centaurs

FriendofMolly came up with the names of the female centaurs. Arnel contributed some dialogue, and made me rewrite part of the story. Good helpers are a blessing, and make the story better.

* * *

Friday, April the thirteenth, Albus had a note from Firenze asking to see him after class. Albus took Cleo with him as they entered his classroom. The classroom was on the ground floor, and had a door directly to the outside.

Albus knocked on the door to the classroom, and a deep voice said, "Come in."

Albus walked into the classroom, over a stone floor until he came to magically growing grass. There in the grass stool a palomino centaur with blue eyes and white blond hair. The humans stood before Firenze, and he looked them over carefully before saying, "Welcome, Albus Severus Potter, Cleopatra Desiree Smith. Mr. Potter, do you still want to meet the centaurs?"

Albus said, "Yes. May Cleo come, too?"

Firenze said, "Yes, Miss Smith may come. I am going back to the herd tonight. Tomorrow, at nine in the morning, meet me at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. You are safe with me."

"Does anyone else know?" Albus said.

Firenze said, "The headmistress knows. Neither the stars nor her eyes tell me if she approves, but you will not be in trouble for this visit. Do not tell anyone else."

It was a beautiful spring Saturday the fourteenth of April. As they walked towards the forest Al said, "I have always wanted to talk to the centaurs. Dad and I talked about them. They are really interesting creatures, wise and solemn, but very distrustful of humans. They are listed as beasts instead of beings along with humans, house-elves and goblins, and that really bothers me. I want to talk to them and find out why."

"Is it safe to go out in the forest to find them?" asked Cleo.

"Probably not. Centaurs do not attack young, and I figured we had better get out here and meet them before we get too much older," said Al. "I figure with our wands, and with Firenze knowing we are coming, we should be all right."

Cleo asked "Why are you taking me along? I'm not exactly, don't look exactly, like a little child anymore."

"I thought it would be good for a boy and a girl to meet the centaurs. And I want someone to share the adventure with, and who better than you? Rose and Scope find enough adventures in books, but you like real life as well as books. Besides, you are my best friend, as well as my soulmate, and I like sharing adventures with a friend."

"Thank you, Al," said Cleo with a big smile. "I like being your friend!"

Firenze met the pair, and said, "I will follow, but at a distance. The Elves are not invited this trip. If you call they may come and get you, but otherwise they are not invited."

Frerin and Dis waited at the edge of the forest, as hidden as two Elves can be, blending into the edge of the forest.

So hand in hand, with the other hand holding their wands, they marched into the forest, past the grass, past the high trees and wide spaces at the beginning of the forest, deeper and deeper into the Forbidden Forest. There were lots of branching trails, but Al let Cleo take the lead. "My wand seems to be pulling me a certain way," she said. They had walked about an hour when they came upon a clearing, and in the clearing were three female centaurs, one nursing a very young baby at the breast, another whose foal was bigger and was nursing at her udder.

"Excuse me," said Al. "We will leave if this is private?"

"Stupid humans," said the one who was not nursing. "What is private about feeding a baby? You go about with everything that makes you an animal hidden under those horrible clothes. Some mothers do not even feed their own babies but use horrible artificial breasts instead. What is the reason for having it," and she pointed at her own breasts, "if you do not use it. Stupid humans."

"I think my grandmother Weasley would agree with you, and probably my mother too. I know they nursed all their babies," said Al.

"And you live in those horrible houses, and enslave other creatures and make them stay in houses instead of running free. Why are you here? You're not supposed to come into this forest. You may be attack by dangerous wild animals like us," said the same centaur, the one not feeding a baby.

"Thank you for the warm welcome," said Al. "We came looking for you. I want to make things right for all the intelligent creatures of the world. My dad and my Aunt Hermione have been working hard on house-elf rights, and made some progress. I guess worldwide progress is partly waiting for some big wizard who is going to change things, which I think is stupid. In any case I want to help. Since you are supposed to be the wisest and most far seeing creatures in the world, I came to ask your help."

"Wisest and most far seeing? Most wizards complain that our answers are too vague, that we say yes and no at the same time. How are you any different?" said the same Centaur.

"Because we are young and naïve?" Albus asked.

"Albus Severus Potter," said the centaur. "Yes, I know who you are. You may be young, but you are a long way from being a naïve, innocent, little boy. Cleopatra Desiree may be innocent and naïve, although she is not a child. You, Albus, you are a schemer. You want to make friends with all the intelligent creatures in the world. How will that help us?"

"Maybe you can tell me," said Albus. "I know you are prophets, and at the Battle of Hogwarts you did help, and that you are good and gentle creatures who deserve respect and to be left alone. I want to be able to help, and excuse me, but I thought that I could help more if I knew you better."

"You do not mind that I'm naked," said the Centaur.

"No," said Albus.

"You do not even know my name," said the Centaur.

"No," said Albus. "I would like to know your name, please."

"Alexa," the centaur said. "It means 'defender.' You are not going to leave us alone?"

"No," said Albus. "I see Cleo is talking to the mothers. What are their names?"

"Demetra has the oldest foal," Alexa said. "Her name means earth mother. Her child is called Chara, which means happiness. As she grows she may be given another name. Selene's foal is the baby. Selene means 'moon.' Her foal is Timo, which means honour. Because of her parentage she will probably keep her name."

Chara had come over to Cleo, and Cleo was rubbing its head. Cleo said to Demetra, "My name is Cleopatra. What is your name, and what is your child's name?"

Demetra said, "My name is Demetra, and my foal is Chara."

Cleo said, "I love mothers, and mothering. I was placed at another home and my memory was wiped when I was five, and I do not know my own parents. I noticed how you love Chara, and I think children should all have a loving mother."

Demetra said, "The whole herd loves the young, but there is a special love for the mare that bore you, and for your own foals."

Cleo said, "Albus has the nicest mother and grandmother. I want to be that kind of mother."

Demetra said, "Cleopatra, you will become mother to many, and beloved by many more."

Just about this time four male centaurs came into the clearing. The largest seemed to be the leader. He had very long, very grey hair, and there was grey hair on his chest, and grey on the horse part of his body. He said, "How did you come to be here, humans?"

Albus said, "I am Albus Potter, and this is Cleopatra Smith. Cleo's wand led us here."

The centaur said, "Why did your wand lead you here, Cleopatra? This was not the easy path, nor the obvious one."

Cleo said, "There were MOTHERS here, and babies. I love mothers and babies and couples. Mr. Centaur, you are married to Selene, and Timo is your baby? What is your name, Mr. Centaur, sir?"

The centaur said, "Mr. and Mrs. are for beings, not beasts. My name is Apollo, and I did not want the existence of mares to be common knowledge, nor to have you come here."

Cleo said, "You have to reproduce! I can see, in the dimensions beyond our three, the love between you and Selene, and the human part of you has human type love. There is another love more tied to the horse part of you, and love of the herd and your kind. It is real complex, and tragic at times, but beautiful."

Apollo said, "Was this prophesied? Did the herd agree to this?"

Firenze said, "It has been prophesied that Albus would become friends of the centaurs. I have not seen a prophecy directed to us about Cleopatra, but if you meet with Albus you meet with Cleopatra. They are soulmates."

Apollo said, "This is not the errand you were called to, Albus Severus Potter. We will show you another clearing. Bane, you may stay with Alexa, and Magorian, you may stay with Demetra and Chara. Ronan and Firenze will come with me and the humans."

Firenze said, "The prophecies are strong about you, Albus Severus, and about you, Cleopatra Desiree. Soulmates, come with me. Albus, I need to show you where your father met Tom Riddle and decided to come back to life. That confirmed many prophecies, but changed many other ones."

Al and Cleo walked about half an hour back towards the castle. They finally came to what was once a clearing, but now was beginning to become overgrown. They could see markers, and when they read them they saw that they were markers for where Riddle stood, where Albus' father had stood, where many other people had been when Riddle threw the Killing Curse at Albus' father Harry Potter.

Firenze said, "There is a stone here, the Resurrection Stone. We have not been able to find it. It must not fall into the wrong hands. Can you find it?"

Albus took out his wand and said, "Accio Resurrection Stone."

There seemed to be a stirring in the debris on the forest floor. Albus went over to where the disturbance was and said again, "Accio Resurrection Stone." A dirty black object with a crack down the middle flew into his hand.

Albus put the stone in his left hand, and pointed his wand right at it. He then said, "Reparo Resurrection Stone."

The stone started to glow, and Albus took out his handkerchief, put it on the ground, and put the stone right in the middle.

"I could not hold it," Albus said. "It is not hot or cold, it just really doesn't want to be held."

Cleo said, "A lot of it is in a lot of other directions and power dimensions. It is not safe at all!"

Something else seemed to fly into the handkerchief, as the stone continued to be in sort of a glow or fog. Finally everything settled down, and there was a ring on the handkerchief, with a translucent black stone in it. Albus picked it up for all to see.

"The ring no longer has part of Tom Riddle's soul in it, but it is still important," said Firenze. "Do not show it to anyone or tell anyone about it, even your father, your friends, until the time comes; you will know the time. Do not put it on your hand or wear it until then. It is very important that you keep it with you, but never use it except to help someone in dire need!

"I need you to come and visit us, with Cleopatra, from time to time. To do this you will need the Invisibility Cloak. Tell your father that Firenze and Ronan spoke to you, and that you need the cloak to come out into the forest and speak to Ronan and the others. When the ring glows you will know to come and visit. Go back now."

All and Cleo walked silently out of the forest. No one saw them go into or come out of the forest, except for Frerin and Dis. They knew that they were lucky, and that they would need the cloak if they were going to continue the visits.

* * *

The last Saturday in April was the second Quidditch game of the season for Slytherin. Gryffindor's games were over, but Slytherin would have one more match. Harry and Ginny came to the match to watch. Young Frank Longbottom also came; he and Roxanne were an item, and Frank wanted to see Roxanne again. After the match Al went up to his father and said, "I met Ronan the centaur last weekend. He and Firenze want me to keep meeting with the herd, but they say that I need to have your Invisibility Cloak to go into the forest without being seen. Is there any way you can see if that is true? I really want to learn from the centaurs and earn their trust, but do not want to do the wrong thing."

Harry thought about this. Al and Rose, Scorpius and Cleo, seemed to be the smartest and best behaved students in the school, almost like four Hermiones. Yet Al had Dumbledore's wand, Ginny's Firebolt broom, and was asking for the Invisibility Cloak. At least he did not have the Resurrection Stone! He finally decided to ask Dumbledore, so he found Minerva and asked if he and Al could go up to her office to talk to the old headmaster. She readily agreed. Cleo was hanging around, although everybody else had left, and Al asked if Cleo could come, or if she should go back to the Gryffindor common room. Harry said Cleo could come; it was looking more and more like the tapestry was right, and even at this young age it was going to be hard to separate those two.

When they got to the office Dumbledore was stirring on his chair. "Hello, Harry," said Dumbledore, "Hello, Albus Severus, Hello, Cleopatra."

Harry said, "Hello, Albus" and Al said, "Hello, Professor Dumbledore."

Cleo just looked at the portrait, until Dumbledore looked at her again and said, "I'm just a magic portrait, Cleo. You are much braver than you let on. Just say hello to me."

Cleo shyly and quietly said, "Hello, Professor Dumbledore."

Harry said, "Al has started to talk to the centaurs."

"Your son has begun to talk to the centaurs, Harry. Do you think that is a good thing?" asked Dumbledore.

"I do not know. It probably is," said Harry. "They asked that I give Albus the Invisibility Cloak so he could sneak out and visit them."

Dumbledore got a big smile on his face and said, "Who could ever think that giving an eleven-year-old an Invisibility Cloak, even if it had been owned by his father, even if his father had used it at Hogwarts, could be a good idea? Can you think of any other eleven-year-old that had an Invisibility Cloak?"

"You gave it to me when I was eleven," said Harry.

"And I remember another troublemaker who could sneak around Hogwarts from his first year, and finally after he graduated he showed this same cloak to me. Do you know who that was?" asked Dumbledore.

"My father," said Harry; Dumbledore had told him the story.

"Did you have a question for me, Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

Harry looked at Dumbledore, but he was closing his eyes. He looked at Al. How could he get mad at Al? No detentions, the best marks in the school, polite, all he was doing was asking for and getting his mother's fifteen thousand Galleon broom, The Elder Wand, and now the Invisibility Cloak. Harry did not know if he should be terrified or proud; in the end he though both emotions were probably justified. He knew what Dumbledore expected him to do, and what he would do, but he still felt uncomfortable doing it.

Harry and Al and Cleo must have stood looking at the portrait for about ten minutes before Harry finally said, "I will be here sometime during the next week with the Cloak. Once you have it do not go anywhere without it on you. And except for Cleo, Rose and Scorpius, do not let anyone else know you have it."

"Thank you, Father," said Al. "I do not know why all these things are happening to me. Your support means the world to me. I have such good parents."

"You are not altogether innocent, Al," said Harry. "You walked into the forest to meet the centaurs. You asked for your mother's broom. I saw you in the potions room practicing wand magic when you were six, just after you got permission to use wandless magic from the Ministry. I think you started practicing with Draco's wand when you were five." Harry shook his head. Al hung his head a little ashamed, but only a little.

"And what about you, Cleo?" asked Harry. "Were you with Al? Is he corrupting you?"

Cleo was still a little afraid of the famous Harry Potter, even if he was Al's father, and this question was almost too much for her. She said, "The centaurs said that I could be innocent and naïve."

"And Al? What did they say about him? Innocent and naïve?" said Harry.

"No," said Cleo.

Al said to his father "I'm trying to be good. Did I do the wrong thing trying to see the centaurs? Am I doing anything wrong trying to learn so much about magic?" Harry just shook his head. He is going to end up being as much trouble as I was, Harry thought. At least he is a good kid.

Harry thought about the dotted golden line between Al and Cleo on the Tapestry. It was beginning to look like Cleo was going to be as much a part of Al as Ginny was of him, or Molly with Arthur. Life had been too good and predictable the last few years. Now with Al, and with a new baby on the way, Harry thought that life had already begun to get very interesting again.

Harry told Ginny about the Invisibility Cloak that night. She was more worried than Harry, but could not give Harry any reason why.

Tuesday night Harry went over to Hogwarts, and met Al and Cleo after dinner, and in a location where no one could see them gave Al the Invisibility Cloak.


	25. CH 24 The Twentieth Anniversary of

CH 24 The Twentieth Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts

More critical changes because of Arnel's great Beta work.

* * *

May 2, 2018 was the Twentieth Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. At 7:00 AM Harry, Ginny and Lily were at Hogwarts. Most of the parents were going to be allowed to be at the school at 8:00 AM, and the school was going to be open to the general Magi public at 9:00 AM. You needed to register in advance to come, but as long as you knew about it and had registered and had a ticket you could come. The Aurors did check to make sure no known Dark wizards were trying to get into Hogwarts.

Harry, Ginny and Lily were at Hogwarts early to eat breakfast with Al and his friends. Harry and Lily took a quick tour to the other places where there were displays, and took along Albus, Rose, Scorpius and Cleopatra. Close to the place where Harry had let Riddle "kill" him Harry said, "As I was walking here my mother and father, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were with me, more than ghosts but less solid that real people."

"How come they appeared?" asked Albus. "What kind of magic was it?"

"Something Albus Dumbledore arranged," said Harry. "I'd rather not say any more about it."

Cleo said to Al in Elfish, very quietly so only Albus could hear, " _There is a lot more to that story. Your dad is hiding something very important."_

" _Now is not the time to talk about it,"_ said Albus. Both Albus and Cleo noticed that the spot where Riddle killed Harry and destroyed his Horcrux was very close to where the centaur had shown Albus where to start looking for the Resurrection Stone

Harry, Ginny and the rest of the family went into the Great Hall. There were two markers on the floor of the Great Hall, one where Tom Riddle was standing when he was killed, and the other where Harry had been standing, and where he caught the Elder Wand. Harry and his family were standing close to his marker. Next to them were the rest of the Weasley family. Children waiting for parents were sitting at a couple of the tables, and Scorpius and Cleo were sitting together waiting to see if any of the Malfoy family were going to come. Narcissa had written a letter to Scorpius saying that at least she was coming.

One of the first groups through the Floo was Cho Chang and a rather large crowd of people. Cho found Chloe and then came over to the Potters. Cindy and Henry Hudson were among the reporters covering the Anniversary, and Henry took photographs of Cho and Ginny hugging. Cho introduced her husband and both sets of grandparents, and of course her younger daughter. From then on Cho was not quite as private about her family. She did talk to Harry and the other Aurors about her husband and daughters, and how almost all of the Aurors occasionally went to dinner at Chang's Chinese.

Albus stayed close to his parents, as did his three friends. A surprisingly large number of people tried to see the Elder Wand, but Al had it hidden and did not take it out. Eventually, Cleo turned to Al and said, "See that witch. I think she wants your dad, like to take your dad away from your mother." Al looked and saw a witch in a tight revealing Muggle dress. She had the biggest breasts he had ever seen on a witch, at least for her size, narrow waist, modest size hips, everything poured into a dress that looked two sizes too small. Al looked at the witch and felt sexual thoughts.

"You're right" said Al. "I'm going to tell Mum."

"Mum," Al said when he got her attention, "that witch is looking at dad in a funny way. Do you know who she is?"

Ginny looked at the witch, then looked at her real hard. That was the witch who had sent Harry a picture of her naked, who offered Harry sex not love. If she went over to talk to her she would probably Bat Bogy Hex her for starters, and then get real mad. Ginny knew her midwife would not want her to get into a big fight, especially since she had been having what could be labor pains since last evening.

Ginny said to Al and Cleo, "That witch sent your father a photograph of her wearing nothing, offering to have sex with him, right after the Battle of Hogwarts. I want to Bat Bogy Hex her or worse, but do not think that is a good idea. Maybe you could go over and talk to her and get her to leave."

"Did Dad see the photograph?" asked Al, curious as to how his father would react seeing a photograph like that.

"Of course not," said Ginny fiercely. "Dad let me handle all his fan mail, and I never showed him any photographs of witches trying to throw themselves at him. He never really wanted to read the letters either. He let me handle them, and I did. But she was the worse, with that photograph and letter."

Al was beginning to get a glimpse of one reason for his mother's insecurity. Al was usually very gentle with people, but he had learned from trying to influence Slytherin House that sometimes you had to put people down hard. Sometimes the best you could expect was grudging respect, not love, and Albus expected this witch was going to be like that.

Al and Cleo went over to the witch. Both took out their wands to examine her, like they did when they examined Magi for perfume or shampoo. The witch looked at them suspiciously. Cleo turned to Al and said in quite a loud voice, "She's a real slut! She's had sex with lots of wizards and a few witches, and she wants to add your dad to her conquests."

Al looked right at the witch and said, "There are stories in the Ministry about just how faithful Dad is. Do you think she is really stupid enough to risk our wrath, and that of my mother, to ask dad to do something he never would do?"

Cleo examined the witch again very visibly, and said again out loud, "She's real stupid. Not maybe lacking in any intelligence but real dumb standing here staring at your dad and risking your mother's wrath!"

"Mum's pretty scary when she's angry," said Al, looking at Cleo.

"She's real scary!" said Cleo, looking at Al. "If I was this stupid witch," said Cleo looking right at the witch, "I would get out of here as soon as I could before any one of a number of people made her wish she had never tried to see your dad."

The witch looked over at Ginny, who had her wand out and was looking her way with fire in her eyes.

Albus said "Naked picture, how stupid could you get," and Cleopatra responded with "I said she is a real slut," both of them looking at the witch while they said it. The witch slowly turned and walked away, and was never seen again in Britain as far as anyone knows.

* * *

Ginny looked at the watch she was wearing. Nine-fifty-five, exactly forty-five minutes from her last contraction. This one was a little harder, as well. The midwife said this baby was probably going to be early, and it was not a problem if she was born any time in May. She did not need to go to the infirmary yet, but if the contractions were any harder, or if they were thirty minutes apart, she was heading there. It was bad enough that Albus was born in their drawing room, she standing up where she had been when she insisted that she was not quite ready to go to St. Mungo's. Ginny really did not want to have this baby in the middle of the Great Hall.

Ginny saw Narcissa Malfoy come towards her. The two older women must be the great-grandmothers. Draco and Astoria followed. Scorpius arose and went up to Narcissa, and hugged her. He shook his father's hand, and nodded at his mother. He then greeted his great-grandmothers warmly.

Narcissa waved at Cleo, and she waved back. Grandmother Malfoy seemed to nod at Cleo, and she back, but the rest of the family pointedly ignored her.

Scorpius left to lead them on a little tour.

Cleo came over to stand next to Ginny. Ginny said, "It is not exactly the most welcoming family."

Cleo said, "Grandmother Narcissa is nice, but the rest of them are hard to live with."

About noon Ginny, who had been having very mild labor pains all day, noticed them beginning to get a little stronger, and a little closer together. They were over half an hour apart, but at the beginning of the day they were over an hour apart.

About three thirty Ginny told Harry, "I am going up to the hospital. My labor pains are getting harder, and closer together. I would rather not be down here when my water breaks."

Harry looked at Ginny. The baby had been dropping the last couple of days, but even during the day Harry could see that Ginny was closer to delivering.

Cleo was watching the exchange, and said, "Do you want me to go with you, Mum Potter?"

"That would be nice," Ginny said. So Ginny, Cleopatra, Mitzi the Elf, and an Auror guard went up the stairs to the hospital wing. Madam Swan met them there.

Ginny said, "I think I am getting close to having this baby."

Genevieve Swan said, "You had better strip, and put this gown on. You can use this bed." She let them to a bed at one end of the hospital.

Ginny said, "You can come in, Cleo. You might as well see what giving birth is like. It is very hard to be modest when you are having a baby."

Ginny climbed up on a bed, and Madam Swan did something. The bed split, and Ginny's legs were apart, with no bed where the Madam had to go up and examine her.

Ginny saw Cleo sort of looking away, and so she said, "You might as well look. That's where the baby is going to come out."

Madam Swan said, "You are at eleven centimeters already. This baby is going to come soon."

Ginny had a long, hard contraction, by far the hardest yet, and a lot of liquid gushed out. Madam Swan said, "That is the amniotic fluid that has been protecting the baby in the womb, Cleo. Giving birth is not exactly the neatest process in the world. These cloths are designed to soak up the blood and mess. We use these other cloths for the baby, because we do not want to do too good a job of cleaning her."

Ginny had another long, hard contraction, breathing deeply.

Professor McGonagall's Patronus appeared, saying, "Open the Floo to St. Mungo's and come here immediately. Many people are being injured!"

Madam Swan looked at Ginny, who said, "GO!"

The Auror who had been with them heard Harry's All Auror call. She looked at her Magic/Muggle mobile, and then said, "There is some sort of major problem in the Great Hall, with a lot of people getting injured." She then rushed out. A short time later Mitzi looked at Ginny and Cleo, eyes wide open like she had just received some bad news, and disappeared.

Cleo looked at Ginny, looked down at where the baby was going to come out, looked up at Ginny again, and said, "Who is going to deliver the baby?"


	26. CH 25 Minerva Marie Potter

CH 25 Minerva Marie Potter

Thanks again to Arnel for corrections and some suggested changes. My apologies to my readers for slow posting.

* * *

There was some commotion in another area of the Great Hall, and Harry's Auror instincts were suddenly on full alert. It looked like little knives were flying out of somewhere. An Auror tried to destroy one of the knives, and as soon as the spell hit the knife multiplied. Harry looked around. Several people were trying to destroy the knives, using a variety of spells, and every time a spell hit a knife it multiplied.

Harry used the Sonorus Spell, and said, "Stop trying to destroy the knives. Destructive spells just multiply them. Confine them, protect people."

Meanwhile the knives were attacking people, stabbing them. The knives were small, and no one was fatally hurt, but a lot of people were getting hurt.

There were only two people still trying to destroy the knives, one a trainee from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement who had failed the Auror test. Harry was not sure he was going to make it in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The other was Assistant Professor Kettleburn, who Harry knew was not the brightest of the teachers.

Harry said, " _Sonorus_ " again, and then yelled, "STOP TRYING TO DESTROY THE KNIVES. IT JUST MAKES THEM MULTIPLY!" The trainee stopped, but Professor Kettleburn kept on trying to destroy the knives.

Jim Shook, the Auror who usually guarded Harry, ran over and tackled Kettleburn, making her stop.

"Healers are coming," Professor McGonagall said.

Harry, and everyone with a wand, was trying to shield the students and others, with only limited success. There were over four hundred people in the Great Hall, and Harry thought over half of them were already injured. He called an All Auror alert, saying with his Patronus that they should come to Hogwarts through St. Mungo's. With all the healers rushing in Harry was sure the Floo between St. Mungo's and the Hogwarts hospital was open.

Harry tried a variety of shield charms, with limited success. He had received a couple of minor cuts. As soon as he removed the knife stabbing him it escaped and stabbed again.

Harry heard Neville say, "Do not take the knives out. If you leave them in they cannot stab again." Harry looked at Neville; he looked like a pincushion with over a dozen little knives in it.

Harry's family had been safe at the start, but then James received two cuts. Eventually, a knife stuck into Lily Luna. For the first time the knife grew until it was so long it stuck all the way through her. A healer was there very quickly, doing a couple of spells before trying to take the knife out, and then staying with her. She called over another healer, very concerned.

A one of the healers tried to get Lily to take a potion, but she was unconscious and unable to drink anything. Harry thought she looked pale as death.

A third healer came over to Lily Luna, and then a fourth. Very quickly Harry saw that the healers had put what looked like a Muggle IV, and bag after bag of what looked like blood was flowing into Luna, and then out onto the floor.

Albus tried to see the knives the way Cleo saw magic. He tried to use his wand to de-magic the knives. Shortly after he started Luna Lovegood Scamander tried to see what he was doing. Finally, after about ten minutes of intense work, he succeeded. Albus heard, in his head, sort of like he did with Cleo but not near so clear, _How did you do that_? He knew the thoughts came from Luna.

Albus showed Luna the spell, but it did not work. Then he realized that the male and female versions of the spell were different, so he said, "I have to do the spell with an out, a twist into the other red, and then this kind of push pull motion. As a female you have to start with an in, then the twist into the other red, and then just the pull."

Luna tried it, and got it. Albus and Luna started de-magicking the knives.

As soon as Harry saw that Albus was able to de-magic the knives he called his son over. Albus spent a good couple of minutes before he could de-magic the knife and a healer could pull it out of Lily Luna, and unlike the other knives this one had to be held tightly with a couple of confinement spells.

The Great Hall was full of healers and others treating the wounded and confining the knives as Albus and Luna worked on one after another of them.

Albus and Luna were taking over a minute per knife, and Harry thought there may have been over four hundred knives. Finally, after over an hour, Albus came on a knife that felt different, and when he did the de-magic spell on it the knife turned an ugly color and started to sizzle. At the same time all the other knives started to vanish.

Meanwhile most of the people who had knives sticking in them were healed and told to stay where they were. Over two hundred people had been cut, but only thirty of them were seriously hurt enough to require further treatment.

As Albus and Luna were finishing up with the knives Harry could see that the last unit of blood going into Lily Luna did not seem to be flowing in very fast.

"We finally have the flow of blood stopped," one of the healers said. "That knife had a special spell that kept the blood flowing. It looked like it was aimed at her uterus. If she had been older she would have bled even worse."

"I am glad Ginny was not here," Harry said. "I think she is in labor."

The healer said, "That knife would have killed your wife and baby."

By this time most of the Aurors and the other staff were mopping up the Great Hall. Cho, who had come back, said to Harry, "You probably ought to go up to the hospital with Lily Luna. We have this under control. Where is Ginny?"

Harry said, "I think she is up in the hospital having a baby."

Cho said, "By herself?! All the healers were down here. Go up and see her."

Harry, James, who had been healed of a couple of cuts, and Albus, went up to the hospital, following Lily who was immobilized and being levitated.

* * *

Cleo looked at Ginny, eyes wide open, looked down at where the baby was going to come out, looked up at Ginny again, and said, "Can you stop the baby until someone comes back."

Ginny said, "No. She is already well on her way, and there is no stopping her now."

Cleo asked, "Who is going to deliver the baby?"

"You are," Ginny said.

"ME?" asked Cleo.

Ginny had another contraction, lasting well over a minute, and then said, "Cleo, you are going to have to look at where the baby is coming out, and tell me what you see."

Cleo looked. "It is kind of bloody and stretchy and, a baby comes out THERE? It doesn't look big enough. Does it hurt?"

Ginny had another contraction, and then said, "There are pain potions that can help, and spells."

"And if you don't have them?" Cleo asked.

"It hurts. How does it look now?"

Cleo said, "It looks like it is getting bigger, and I can see something that may be a head. You have a scar down there. Does the scar hurt?"

Ginny said, "She is coming out head first, which is real good. You just need to catch …OH … OH."

Cleo looked as this head moved noticeably closer to her.

Ginny said, "When the head comes out catch her, and when the body comes out you want to support the head so …OH …OH …OH.

Ginny was taking deep breaths with every Oh. _She is early, and not as big as my other three_ , thought Ginny. _There is no way to stop this baby from coming now._

Cleo put her left hand right under where the baby was coming out, and caught the head as it moved out of Ginny. The baby stayed there, the head out, eyes closed, the face rather smashed and shocked.

Ginny said, "She should be out with one more push."

Ginny had another contraction, this one not as hard as the one that pushed out the head, and Cleo had a baby in her hands. The baby took a deep breath, and then another one, and then let out a little, "Waaaa, waaaa." She opened her eyes, rather shocked.

Everything was kind of bloody, including the baby, Ginny, and Cleo.

Cleo said, "What do I do now?"

Ginny said, "Wipe her off. Then give me my wand. You need to suction out the mouth and nose, if they are full of fluid."

Cleo gave Ginny her wand, still holding the baby. She held the baby while Ginny did a brief exam with the wand, and suctioned a little of the mess off the baby. The umbilical cord was still on the baby, but it had stopped pulsing, so Ginny used her wand to cut the cord.

Ginny opened what little of the gown that was still covering her, and said, "Put Minerva on my breast. It will be good for her and for me."

Cleo and Ginny, working together, gently put baby Minerva on one breast, and the baby clamped on and started to suck.

Ginny started a little, and said, "Well, she has a strong sucking reflex, that's for sure."

Cleo said, "Does it hurt? There is a scar on that breast too."

Ginny said, "The scars are from the year before the Battle of Hogwarts. They are annoying, but they really don't hurt much."

Cleo said, "Does nursing hurt?"

Ginny said, "It can be a little sore until you get used to it. Generally it is very pleasant, though, until the little buggers get teeth. Teething can be hard on a baby AND on a nursing mother."

Cleo had thought that breast feeding a baby was going to be just the most pleasant thing. She involuntarily reached for her breasts. She had not thought of babies with TEETH!

"What do I do now?" Cleo asked. She could see the umbilical cord coming out of Ginny's bottom, plus some blood and fluid. Giving birth WAS messy.

Ginny said, "See that pan. Be ready to catch the afterbirth. It should be coming soon, and it is bloody."

Cleo said, "When does it stop bleeding?"

Ginny said, "In a few days. It is like a really, really bad period."

Cleo said, "Yes, but you get a BABY out of this!"

Ginny said, "Albus was born in our drawing room. I was too stubborn to go to St. Mungo's, because my labor was so easy, and it took James so long. Harry caught the baby, so he is listed on the birth certificate as the birthing assistant. Cleo, your name is going to be on Minerva's birth certificate. Congratulations. You have just delivered your first baby."

Cleo sat down, still watching Ginny, and tried to open her mind to Albus. Whatever was happening, she could feel that they were getting it under control. She said, "I do not know what happened in the Great Hall, but it seems to be getting better."

Ginny looked at Cleo, and for a moment panicked. Then she let out a sigh of relief. Albus would be upset, and Cleo would feel it, if anyone close to them was seriously hurt, or worse.

Ginny and Cleo could hear commotion in the hospital, but everybody left them alone. Cleo eventually covered Ginny and Minerva, the baby sleeping on Ginny's stomach, Ginny snoozing. Cleo was wide awake. She had tried to read Albus' thoughts, but he was busy, and she did not want to bother him.

Cleo looked down between her legs. She tried to imagine lying on a bed, legs spread, as she let Albus into that most private part of her. He would leave a little of himself in her. One of her eggs would travel into her womb, and Albus' sperm would wiggle into her, and one of the sperm would mate with her egg, and a person would start.

She would miss her next periods, as slowly a person would form, and grow in her womb. Eventually she would be able to feel it move inside of her. She would be able to let Albus feel it too. About nine months after they loved each other, after she eagerly let him into her, she would deliver someone half him and half her, a new person.

Cleo looked at Mum Ginny, and Minerva, and cried tears of joy. They had a new baby. Mum Ginny did it, and she helped. Cleo felt humble, not proud. Humble, and very, very thankful.

* * *

Harry and his family followed Lily into the hospital. Irma Pince, the head librarian, was writing on parchment. "The healers are busy," Irma said.

One of the healers with Lily said, "I need a bed overnight for Lily Luna Potter."

Irma said, "Mrs. Potter is that way," pointing. "Put her next to her mother and sister."

"Sister!" Albus exclaimed.

Irma pointed to her chart, and said, "End bed, Ginevra Molly Potter, Minerva Marie Potter, Cleopatra Desiree Smith, birthing assistant.

"Congratulations, Harry and family."

Albus ran down to the end of the hospital, and peaked in the curtained off bed. There on the bed was his mother, and snuggled on her chest was a very little baby.

Cleo's school uniform was a mess. "I siphoned off as much of the blood as I could," she said. "Your mother did all the work." Cleo burst into tears again, saying, "Oh, Albus, giving birth, having a new life come out of you, it was the most fantastic thing in the world. It is magic like no other magic I know. Two people love each other so much that they create another person."

By this time Harry and James were in the room. Harry looked at his new daughter, and Ginny stirred. Harry leaned over and kissed her. She looked at James, with at least one visible cut that was healing, and a rip in his shirt, and said, "What happened?"

"Waaa, waaa, waaa," came a little sound from Minerva.

Ginny sat up, and Cleo adjusted the bed. Minerva looked like she wanted to nurse, so Ginny said, "The other breast, Cleo. You alternate."

Cleo helped Ginny put Minerva on her breast, and Minerva latched on hard again. Ginny made a face. She said to Harry, "Minerva may be tiny, but she has good sucking reflexes.

"Now, WHAT happened, and where is Lily?"

Harry said, "Lily received a serious cut, but she will be fine. Somehow a magical knife started attacking people, and all the attack spells just multiplied the knife. Everyone who was hurt is going to be able to be healed.

"Albus figured out how to de-magic the knives, and then Luna Lovegood Scamander figured it out as well.

"Lily is in the bed next to you."

Madam Swan appeared, looking exhausted. She did something, and the curtains surrounding the beds were changed so that the curtains surrounded both Ginny's and Lily Luna's beds. Madam Swan adjusted Lily's bed so she could see everybody.

"Lily has to stay immobilized for twelve to twenty four hours," the matron said. "She had the most serious internal injuries, but we have healed them. They just need to finish healing. Meanwhile, Lily, meet your new sister."

"How are you?" Ginny asked Lily.

"Sore," Lily said. "Really sore in my gut, way down low. I'm just getting over being terrified, too.

"That's my sister!"

Ginny said, "She is kind of busy. She feels her first job is to eat any time she is awake. You will get to meet her soon enough. Meanwhile, sleep."

Madam Swan said, "We really should put you to sleep, to allow your injury to heal."

Lily nodded, and Madam Swan put the bed back down, and gave Lily a potion. Lily was soon asleep.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't help you, Albus, but I was kind of busy," Cleo said.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, Harry, but I was kind of busy," Ginny said.

"Waaa, Waaa, gurgle," said Minerva.

"Burp the baby, Harry," said Ginny, as she covered up.

Harry gently patted Minerva until a, "burppp," came out.

A little, "aaah, aaah www," came out of the baby, followed by slight sucking sounds.

"I think she wants to nurse some more," said Harry.

Ginny put Minerva on her other breast. When she was done she handed Minerva over to Cleopatra, who seemed to have no problem changing the baby. Cleo said, "This is the third time I have done this. Babies sure go through a lot of nappies.

"I put Minerva on Mum Ginny's breast right after she was born, before putting a nappy on her. Minerva nursed and wet at the same time. Having a baby is really messy."

Cho Chang peeked in and said, "Harry, since you were there at the start of this, we really could use you. Albus too. I'm sorry. Do you have anyone who could stay and help Ginny?"

"I can!" Cleo exclaimed. "I even delivered the baby." She proudly showed Mrs. Chang the birth certificate, with her name on it as birthing assistant.

Cho looked at the birth certificate, and at Cleo. She shook her head. "This evening is getting stranger and stranger. Oh, congratulations, Ginny, Harry."

"You may have Harry for as long as you need him," Ginny said. "I'm a little busy at the moment, but I have good help."

"Thank you, Mum Ginny," Cleo said.

After Harry and Albus had gone with Cho, James said, "Do you mind if I go back to my room?"

"Go," said Ginny.

Shortly after James left Mitzi appeared. "Elves has to help with the knives," she explained. "I has to help. I was hurt, but will get better with sleep. May I sleep? I will be back in the morning."

"Go, sleep," said Ginny.

It was another hour later, and Cleo was getting real tired of sitting in the chair. Madam Swan bustled in again, and asked, "Miss Smith, are you spending the night?"

"I guess so," Cleo said. "Mum Potter needs help using the loo, and I have been changing the baby."

The matron charmed a bed for Cleo to sleep in, and gave both her and Ginny a buzzer type of thing. "We can use the help, Miss Smith. Just push this if you need anything," she said. "We will have staff on call all night." Madam Swan also charmed a little cot for Minerva to sleep in. Shortly after their heads hit the bed all three girls were asleep.

* * *

When Harry and Albus arrived back in the Great Hall Cho Chang led them over to where two men were looking at what once was a knife. Oliver Oddpick was holding the wand that Dragon Chen used when he did not want the evidence of what he did on his normal wand. He was examining it with another wand, and then looking at the remnants of the knife.

Oliver said, "I think I have identified the charms used on this knife. The counter charms are very difficult and time consuming. What caused it and its siblings to stop?"

Albus said, "I just sort of undid the magic, undid the spell. Sort of like a vacuum cleaner, sucking the magic out. It didn't exactly get rid of the knives, but just depowered them. I don't think I can explain it better than that."

"Vacuum cleaner?" Oliver asked. Oliver knew very little about the Muggle world.

Harry said, "A Muggle sucking machine"

Luna Lovegood Scamander came over to the group. Albus said, "Aunt Luna undid the magic too, except I have to do the spell with an out, a twist into the other red, and then this kind of push pull motion. Aunt Luna is female, and as a female you have to start with an in, then the twist into the other red, and then just the pull."

Luna said, "I watched you, and then tried to see what you were doing. I couldn't see anything, exactly, but I could feel you sort of sucking the magic out of the knives, so I tried. It took a while to get it right, but when you told me to pull instead of push because I am female it all made sense. I know some of the magic is in my wand, and I would just as soon get rid of it."

Oliver said, "Once you have done a spell with your wand you cannot undo it, so the spell is not in the wand."

Albus thought, and then touched the remains of the knife with his wand. The wand seemed to vomit something onto the knife, and the knife was partly restored. Luna touched the knife, made an awful face, and more magic vomited onto the knife. Albus did something, and the knife was sort of sealed in an unusable shape.

Oliver said, "Albus, none of what you said made any sense to me. A wand cannot vomit back a spell."

Luna said, "It CAN, because we just did it."

Oliver, Luna, and Albus had a long discussion about what they had found, and what they had done. Harry could not understand half of it. Finally Oliver said, "We know the knife was charmed by Dragon Chen. We also are reasonably sure he charmed the student who had the knife, so there is no fault there. He also implanted a strong suggestion in Professor Kettleburn to keep trying to destroy the knife.

"I wish I could promise you that we have found all the potential evil things Dragon Chen has done. I think this is the last of the magic that could hurt someone, but I cannot be sure."

Harry and Albus were in the Great Hall until reasonably late that evening, trying to secure any evidence they could. Just before the ten o'clock curfew Albus went to his room. Harry checked in with Ginny, but she, Cleo and baby Minerva were sleeping soundly.

* * *

"Waaa, Waaaa," came from the cot.

Ginny woke up, Cleo was sound asleep. Every two blasted hours! It was not safe for Ginny to get out of bed alone. She was ready to push the buzzer and get help when she heard, "WAAAAA, WAAAAA, WAAAAA."

Cleopatra woke up, and said, "I'm coming, I'm coming." She picked up the baby, and took off her nappy.

"WAAAAH, WAAAAA," baby Minerva went. She wanted food, not this delay.

Cleo changed Minerva, and gave Ginny the baby, and said, "What time is it?"

"I think it is about eight in the morning," Ginny said.

Cleo heard a slurp, slurp from Minerva.

"I feel like I have hardly slept," said Cleo.

"Minerva has been nursing every two hours for fifteen minutes or so, on both breasts. She is going to get my milk coming in real soon at this rate," Ginny said.

"I thought you had milk," said Cleo.

"She is getting nourishment, and a lot of good things," said Ginny. "I will make real milk soon.

"Go back to sleep. I will wake you when I need you again."

Cleo fell into the bed and almost immediately fell sound asleep again.

Ginny said, "Mitzi."

Mitzi appeared, and said, "Mitzi has enough sleep. Let Miss Smith sleep."

Ten o'clock Molly and Audrey Weasley appeared in the hospital. They went to the end where Ginny, Lily, Minerva Marie and Cleo were all sleeping. Shortly after they entered the curtained up area Minerva woke again. This time Minerva's grandmother changed her nappy and gave her to Ginny to nurse.

Cleo woke up, and Ginny told her, "Cleo, you should go back to your room and sleep."

"How do new mothers get a good night sleep?" Cleo asked.

Molly said, "They don't, Cleo. If you are lucky, there are grandmothers, and aunts, and others to help."

Cleo's house-elf Dis was with her, unlike the previous day when she was helping in the Great Hall, and helped lead a very tired Cleopatra back to her dorm room.

Madam Pomfrey came into the area where Ginny and Lily were, along with another healer. They checked over Lily, and then had her sit up in the bed.

Madam Pomfrey said, "How are you now, Lily?"

Lily said, "Sore where I was stabbed. It itches a little too."

Madam Pomfrey said, "I want you to go home, instead of staying here. After eating a little I want you to go to bed. You may get out of bed to use the loo and eat, but otherwise I want you to spend the next day in bed. A healer will come to check you tomorrow morning."

Molly said, "I am going to be staying with the Potters for a couple of days, at least, and I will make sure Lily is careful the next couple of days."

Molly gave Lily a look that indicated that she was not to be disobeyed, and in a small voice Lily said, "Yes, Grandmum."

By this time Ginny was out of bed. With Mitzi's help Ginny was walking a little, and she went to the loo while Audrey held baby Minerva. Ginny was getting ready to leave, wearing the same clothes that she came to the Anniversary on, when Professor Minerva McGonagall came into the area where the Potters were.

Ginny said, "Would you like to hold your namesake, Minerva?"

Professor McGonagall went over to Audrey and looked at the tiny baby. She said, "Later, when she is a little bigger. Thank you for naming her after me. You know that I will have to be over to see her often the next eleven years."

Ginny said, "I would like that. I would like to know you better as a friend. You are always welcome to visit."

The Potters had a room that Ginny used as an office, but that could also be a guest bedroom. Arthur and Molly stayed a month with Ginny and Minerva as the baby grew, only leaving when Minerva was sleeping at least three and sometimes four hours at night.

Three days after the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts Harry came home, looked at his map of the house, and went up to his and Ginny's bedroom. Molly was sitting in a rocking chair, knitting. Ginny and baby Minerva were sleeping.

Molly motioned for Harry to keep quiet, and they both went into the hallway. Molly closed the door.

Harry asked, "How are they today?"

Molly said, "Minerva was almost too small to be sent home, just over four pounds, but she was breathing and nursing so strongly that the healers said she could come home. We have special spells on her, so if she stops breathing or has any other problems we will know about it right away. Minerva is gaining weight, and should be fine. It is just going to take a couple more weeks before she can go more than a couple of hours between feedings.

"Ginny is doing as well as can be expected for someone who never gets more than two hours of sleep at a time."

They opened the door, and heard the "WAAAH, WAAAA," from Minerva that indicated that she was awake, and hungry. Molly changed Minerva, and gave her to Ginny, who was awake by this time.

As soon as Minerva was firmly latched on Ginny said, "We have a routine, Harry. Mum stays with me during the day, while Mitzi sleeps. Then at night Mum sleeps while Mitzi stays with us. The healers say that for a couple more weeks I am going to be a sleep deprived milk machine."

"The prettiest milk machine I know," Harry said. "I am glad that you can stay home, and not have to be in St. Mungo's."

"I am going crazy stuck here," Ginny said. "I am going to be meeting with my stringers who are covering the Quidditch games this weekend. I really should not complain too much about the Quidditch columns when I cannot edit them. The scores are usually correct. Columns I don't edit are not edited and put together as well as I would like. Too many stupid mistakes get through. I do not know when I became a fussy editor, but punctuation and grammar are important.

"Cindy Base helps with the obvious things, but she really does not know enough about Quidditch to spot other things. And some of the stringers write good articles, but others are just awful, and it takes work to push them into publishable shape.

"Burp the baby, Harry."

Harry put Minerva on his shoulder and a small, slightly milky burp dampened his shoulder. He held her, and said, "How are you, my pretty second daughter, Minerva?"

Minerva looked at Harry, and then tried to look at Ginny, her mouth moving. Harry gave her back to Ginny, who put Minerva on her other breast. Ginny said, "As soon as Minerva is fed I am going to get up and go down to the drawing room."

Molly said, "Dinner will be in about an hour, in the dining room so Ginny only has to go down one extra set of steps. The healers think I will be able to go home in three or four weeks."

Ginny said, "What is happening in your world, Harry?"

Harry said, "We think we know why Dragon Chen is mad at me, and it has nothing to do with the Pirate Witch Queen of the Caribbean, or the Lord of the Dementors. Indirectly is has to do with Tom Riddle, I guess.

"Dragon's family was supplying illegal potion ingredients to two or three of the businesses I inherited, and that business stopped when I inherited the estates. He was mad because I hurt the revenue of the family business. The revenue was hurt enough that instead of an easy job with four generations of his family he had to find another job."

Ginny said, "What is going to happen to him?"

Harry said, "If he cooperates I think he is going to be under house arrest for the next fifty or so years. He will probably be in the back room of some shop making potions. If he does not cooperate he will end up in Azkaban for the remainder of his sentence. His family is mad at him, and they want him to cooperate."

Harry, Ginny, Molly and Minerva had just settled down in the drawing room when Audrey Weasley came upstairs with Lily Luna. Lily looked at her sister and said, "Babies are not any fun. She just eats, sleeps, and messes her nappies."

Harry said, "She will grow up."

Lily said, "I hope so. She is the smallest baby I have ever seen."


	27. CH 26 An Embarrassing Visit to the Centa

CH 26 An Embarrassing Visit to the Centaurs

My Beta Readers have been very busy, and I have been even busier. The next few chapters may come very slowly.

* * *

After the memorable memorial of the Battle of Hogwarts the rest of the school year was rather anticlimactic for most of the students. There was one more Quidditch match, and afterwards Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup. Classes continued, and the fifth and seventh year students were all in a bit of a panic, frantically revising for their tests.

Albus finally received a message on the Resurrection Stone ring, but it was not obvious to him what the message was. Albus went to Firenze, who confirmed that the next Saturday, the last Saturday in May, they were to visit the Centaurs.

Saturday was very warm, more a middle of the summer day than a late spring day. Al and Cleo told their Elves what they were going to do, and then went out of Hogwarts castle. When they were sure no one was watching, they hid under the Invisibility Cloak and went into the forest. They tried to retrace their steps from six weeks ago, and some magic led them back to the same place and, in fact, back to the same three mares. Both foals were now nursing at their mother's udders.

Alexa again greeted them as rudely as before. "Here are the humans, still all covered up despite it being so warm that they would like to take clothes off."

It was very humid, with no breeze in the forest clearing, so it really was hot and sticky. Both Al and Cleo had jeans on because of the underbrush. Al had a light cotton shirt on, and he took it off without even thinking about it. "I hope this is sufficient," he declared. "There are sharp things that brush up against our legs."

"Weak humans," Alexa responded, but she did not protest any further.

Cleo had a cotton blouse on, feminine with a little lace, over a bra. She had been using the spells that Al's mother and others showed her to alter her clothes, and since both her bust and hips had grown she really needed them.

Cleo looked at Alexa, looked at Al, and thought that if this was what it was going to take to talk to these stupid Centaurs she was going to do it. She took off her shirt and bra. Al, at first, looked away from Cleo, but Cleo argued, "Albus, if we are going to show these centaurs that we can be more like animals when we are talking to them you have to look at me."

Al looked at Cleo, and she turned to face him head on, looking at him defiantly. Then she turned to Alexa, and went up to shake her hand.

The mare took Cleo's hand and said, "Thank you." She whinnied and soon her husband and two other stallions joined the three mares and the two foals.

Both Cleopatra and Albus noticed the obvious maleness of the stallions. It was one thing to be exposed on top with all females, but something quite different when the three stallions were also looking at you. Cleo thought _I need to do this. It is only Albus and the Centaurs._ Being half naked in front of the stallions was not easy.

Cleo asked, "Why are your babies nursing at your udders and not at your breasts?" She had noticed that neither of the foals were at their mother's breasts now.

Selene explained "We usually start a feeding at the breast, but a Centaur's foal becomes too big to hold, and too big to feed just from the breast, very quickly. Besides, it is hard for a horse to kneel down to allow our foals to nurse. These are the problems of being part human and part horse."

Albus inquired, "You still seem to be more human than horse. Your brain, your mind, is human."

Selene protested, "It is not that simple. Our biology makes us herd animals, one of the reasons we consider ourselves beasts instead of beings."

Albus persisted, "You are intelligent beings, not beasts."

Alexa argued, "Did you ever consider that by trying to call us beings, and ignoring the largest part of us, our horse part, our herd part, you are insulting us?"

Albus and Cleopatra looked at each other, with that mind to mind way they communicated. Both had assumed that Centaurs were mostly human, just sort of attached to the horse part. It was obviously not that simple.

They had a nice long discussion about what it was being an animal, (of course humans were also animals), and what it was to be a beast, and what it was to be a "being." It turned out to be a most productive meeting. It also stayed provocative; the Centaurs made sure that Al and Cleo were not side by side but opposite each other so they had to keep looking at each other.

When they left the meeting, Al put his shirt back on, and Cleo put her bra and shirt back on. Al was embarrassed for Cleo. They had been walking for about fifteen minutes when Cleo mumbled, "I'm glad it was you, Al. I do not think I could have done that with anybody else."

Al looked at Cleo, was silent for a little while, and then questioned, "Why? Why just me?"

Cleo declared, "Because I'm comfortable being with you. I am more comfortable with you than with any other boy or man, and even more comfortable than with women. You are my soulmate, so it is just different."

After a while she continued, "Sometimes I think the only people I can talk to are your mother and you. O, I can talk to Rose about many things, but some things are too personal to talk to her about. You always get too much information, and it is always like it is from a book. And there is no reason in the world that I can talk to you about girl things, except you always listen to me, and are not threatening, and, oh, Al, I'm probably saying things I shouldn't say except I know we are way too young, but I know we are couple already and you are going to see my ugly body anyway and I don't care if it is now."

Al protested, "You are not ugly, Cleo. You have a very nice shape."

But Cleo muttered, "My hips are way too big, and they are getting bigger. I still have a pot belly and, OK, I have breasts, and they are getting bigger too, but I'm going to look more like your mum and your Grandma Weasley than any of the cute pretty girls."

"You have a very comfortable shape," replied Al, "and it feels good when you hug me."

"Comfortable isn't sexy," Cleo maintained. "I guess I shouldn't even want to be sexy at twelve. Maybe it's because of the way I was abandon, and still can not remember anything from before my parents dropped me off at the Malfoy's, but I just feel sometimes like nothing is right, something must be wrong with my childhood and the years with the Malfoys were not right and I do not know what is going to happen, but I'm nervous. I feel so inadequate sometimes.

"Maybe that is why I am so comfortable being with you, Al. I can rant and rave and you just listen and are such a comfort."

Albus did not say anything. He just squeezed Cleo's hand and gave her an understanding look. Finally, Cleo said, "I'm comfortable with you, Al. It's just that sometimes I'm not comfortable being me."

Al confided, "I've done everything too early. When James was learning to read at five I had already learned how to read, and by the time he was six and I was four, I was reading way better than he was. I've always had a very long attention span for my age, since four a much longer attention span than James. So having a steady girl way too early; nothing new there." Al stopped and turned to Cleo, and she to him. Albus gave Cleo a gentle kiss, not a passionate kiss but not a casual one either.

They stood looking at each other for some time. Finally, Cleo whispered, almost too soft to hear, "Yes."

Albus responded with a quiet, "Yes." Then, not loudly but firmly, "YES. Albus and Cleopatra, together. I will marry you, someday, when the time is right. It may be a long wait, but we are … we are … we are WE."

Cleo smiled the biggest smile, took a couple of deep breaths, gave Albus another gentle kiss, and turned to go on out of the forest, a slightly larger bounce in her step.

They were still quite a way from the castle when Albus told Cleo, "I really have to pee. Wait a moment." Albus turned so he was facing away from Cleo, took out his penis, and went.

Cleo could see this stream of pee, and then Albus zippered his jeans and they went on their way. Cleo really had to go too, but she could not see how a female could relieve herself without undressing, not when she had jeans on. When they arrived back at the castle Cleo rushed to the nearest loo, rather desperate.

* * *

Sunday after lunch a group gathered in Cleo's dorm. The group included all of the girls in Cleo's dorm, and Flossie Roberts, who was in the same year but in the other Gryffindor female dormitory room. It also included Patrick Lee. Because he was going to be transitioning to female over the summer, he had been given special permission to visit the girl dormitories.

Cleo asked, "Has any of you had to pee when you were not close to a loo? Albus and I were a long way from the castle, and he just turned his back to me, pulled out his penis, and went."

Several of the other girls nodded.

Chloe continued, "It is hard to hold it sometimes, and if you hold it too long you can hurt yourself or wet your knickers."

Did he wipe? Mum made sure I knew how to wipe, because if you are not careful you can get a bladder infection. I have already had two, and it hurts to pee. Mum says she gets them too easily. I'm not going to miss that."

Rose asked Patrick, "Do boys have to wipe?"

Patrick replied, "When we pee? No."

Chloe told Patrick, "You have a lot to learn about being a girl. Girls are a lot more complicated than boys."

Rose asked, "Patrick, when they transfigure you to be a girl, are you going to have periods, have all the girl parts? Are you going to be able to have babies?"

Patrick replied, "That is why it will take all summer, and maybe more time. If they do it right I will be able to have children. I will have all the proper girl parts, and periods and everything."

"I would guess that includes bladder infections," sneered Chloe. "You can have them."

Chloe bragged, "I should have all the proper boy parts, and be able to father a baby. Mostly, I will be able to be a MAN, a prince and not a princess."

"Oh, gross," muttered Flossie.

Hanna said, "I don't think I would want to be a boy either.

"Are you two going to get married?"

Chloe replied, "We don't have to. It is too early to tell."

Patrick declared, "I think I would like to marry and have children."

Hanna acknowledged, "I guess I would like to be a mother, too."

Patty declared, "Mum seems to enjoy getting pregnant and nursing babies. I guess I will too."

Rose admitted, "I've had a couple of periods. It's not too bad. I guess I will have children, someday, if I get married."

Olivia Wood declared, "I'd like to play Quidditch, like my father. Maybe when I retire I will have a child or two. It's really not fair. Men get to be fathers, and they do not have to quit Quidditch. Women have to quit playing Quidditch when they get pregnant, and they don't go back until they stop nursing. Men can father all the children they want without having to even miss a game."

"Men are the heroes, and rescue the damsels-in-distress," Chloe bragged.

Flossie Roberts grumbled, "The man rescues the woman, but then they are supposed to get married. I want more than some idiot rescuing me before I let anyone at my private parts."

Rose sputtered, "I don't want anyone looking at MY private parts. I do not want anyone rescuing me and then thinking I'm theirs, either. It is like that stupid custom of fathers GIVING their daughters away. I love my dad, but I'm not his property to give away. I want to go into marriage as an equal, not as property."

Olivia agreed, "I don't want to be given away either. It's stupid."

Hanna pleaded, "I still would like to wear a pretty wedding robe." She sort of swooned, exclaiming, "I want to fall in love too. You are all talking like marriage is some sort of business partnership instead of two people loving each other."

Flossie declared, "I don't want some stupid boys fighting over me, like I am someone to be won by someone. I want a boy who loves me, and pays attention to me. I want to be courted by some nice boy who thinks I am, I am, just special. I want to be girly for the right boy."

Rose proclaimed, "I'm not eager to show any more of my girl parts to anyone."

Everyone except Cleo shook their heads in agreement. Cleo was remembering the day before, when she had exposed her breasts to Albus and the Centaurs. Everyone looked at Cleo, who remembered what Ginny had said when she was having baby Minerva. "Mrs. Potter said you lose all your modesty when you have a baby."

Flossie exclaimed, "You saw Mrs. Potter's bottom when she had the baby?"

Cleo replied, "Of course. The baby comes out of that most private part of you, your bottom. How do you think we have babies?

"I like touching, and hugging. I think it would be just the best thing in the world to be naked with your husband, touching each other all over. Besides, once you are pregnant another human is inside you. I think that is the most fantastic thing in the world, sharing your body with someone part you and part your husband, and making a new person."

Hanna looked at Christy Shook and asked, "Do you want Colin Creevey touching all of you, Christy?"

Christy replied, "He's a nice boy. We like each other, but we're not like THAT."

Cleo argued, "I'm the only one who really has a steady boyfriend. We are all really too young to be all paired up. Leave Christy alone."

Christy smiled her thanks.

Hanna looked at Rose and asked, "Do you hope Scorpius starts to look at you as a girl and not just as someone to study with?"

Rose replied, "Scorpius is a good study partner, but I don't want him TOUCHING me. I don't want to dance with that arrogant prat either."

Hanna asked Patrick, "Do the boys talk about girls, and falling in love and romance?"

Patrick proclaimed, "NO! Most of the boys I know in first and second year are not all that happy they have to learn how to dance with a girl starting third year. Boys get interested in girls a lot later than girls get interested in boys."

* * *

Sunday, June 17, Albus, Rose, Cleopatra and Scorpius were in the portrait room next to the Great Hall, revising for their final tests. Albus pointed out, "We take the Hogwarts Express back on Friday. The next Monday Rose and I leave for Switzerland to get ready for the International Conference of Witches and Wizards. It starts the following weekend, and Rose's mum and my dad always have to be there early.

"Cleo, do you think you could get permission to go with me?"

Cleo responded, "I don't think Mr. Malfoy would let me go with YOU, Albus."

Scorpius proclaimed, "She could go if I went. I got the impression that my stupid father wants us together."

Albus pointed out, "Almost all of the Magi children who have been learning Elfish will be there. I have a list of all of them and their parents. The children all have parents who are very prominent in the world of the Magi. Would it help if your dad knew that you would meet children of prominent Magi?"

Scorpius admitted, "It probably would. Dad does say that it is as important who you know as what you know. I will send an owl to him tonight asking.

"I won't even ask if Cleo is coming along. I will just assume that she is. That is the best way to approach my father."

Tuesday, Draco showed up at Hogwarts, and asked to see Scorpius and Albus. After much discussion about all the children and their parents that they would be meeting, Draco gave his permission. Almost as an afterthought Scorpius said, "I assume Cleo is also coming. Most of the other children are pairs."

Draco replied, "She can stay with you. You are supposed to be a couple too."


	28. CH 27 Switzerland

APDH CH 27 Switzerland

Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble are Hanna-Barbara characters.

I apologize for the lengthy time between updates. Real life reared its head. I want to thank Arnel for more major improvements.

* * *

Friday, June twenty-second the students took the Hogwarts Express back to London. Again no one was allowed to leave through the wall between tracks Nine and Ten. There were now three fireplaces with Floo connections that were only open when students were leaving or coming. A very few students with Muggle parents left through a couple of offices some distance from the tracks, but most of the students with Muggle ancestry left with students whose parents were magical, so they could enter the Muggle world some distance away from the train station.

A couple of the women who had been watching the train station were sitting at Kings Cross, watching the entry to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, but they did not see anything. The aliens, or magical people, or whatever they were, seemed to have vanished.

Again Al, Rose, Cleo, and Scorpius took the Floo from the office of Professor McGonagall to Grimmauld Place. Scorpius and Cleopatra then took the Floo to Malfoy Manor.

On Sunday, Scorpius and Cleopatra came back to Grimmauld Place. Scorpius spent one night with Albus at twelve, Grimmauld Place, and Cleo spent one night with Rose at Thirteen, Grimmauld Place. The next morning the Potter and Weasley families left for Switzerland.

As the families took the Floo to the Ministry, Rose remarked, "We are taking an International Floo to Switzerland. Most of the International Floo connections in Europe and some in the Mid-East go through the big transit station in Switzerland. You will see Floo fireplaces, but also Magic Carpets and magical cupboards in the transit station."

The families, accompanied by Elves and Auror guards, arrived, and were immediately directed to a special entrance. Everyone's wand was examined, and documents were inspected. Rose explained, "All of the entrances have a variation of Uncle Harry's map. It will help tell the guards if people are who they say they are."

The crowd was led to a special bus, which took them from the third of four major levels in the Swiss Valley down to the lowest level. It looked like half of the mountain faces surrounding the valley had been built on, and there were four major roads that went totally around the mountains, the top two with large structures bridging some gaps in the mountain range surrounding the valley.

Rose continued, "The four major roads are all at least one-hundred feet wide. Sometimes they are much wider. Smaller roads go up and down from them, and there are at least four major one-hundred-foot-wide roads from each level to the one below it."

They drove half way around the valley until they were almost directly opposite the transit station. The road opened up and the flat space was at least two hundred feet and up to three hundred feet wide, and well over fifteen hundred feet long. There was a high stone wall with only one medieval style gate. The bus drove through the gate and stopped in front of the entrance to a large castle or mansion. They were in a plaza that was trapezoidal in shape, two hundred feet across the front of the castle, and two-hundred-feet-deep, but at the wall it was about three hundred and fifty feet across. The wall was about ten feet wide by maybe forty feet high.

Cleo looked at the wall, and frowned. "That wall doesn't look very friendly to me."

The castle covered the whole end of the plaza. It was about sixty feet tall, but the top eight feet or so was battlements, and there were the same type of battlement walls on both sides of the wall separating the plaza from the road outside. You could see from the windows in the castle that there was one very high floor, and two shorter floors above it.

Cleo looked at the castle, and ranted, "It looks grim and foreboding, but it doesn't have to!"

Ginny, who was pushing a pram with baby Minerva in it, responded, "It reminds me of Grimmauld Place before we remodeled it. I guess we could remodel the palace, if we wanted to. I just never knew what I wanted to do with it, Cleo. I would like this place to be prettier and more welcoming."

Cleo looked at Rose, and pleaded, "You like home remodeling. What do we have to do to make this place welcoming?"

Rose declared, "I have a lot of ideas, but I never thought that I could tell anyone what to do."

Cleo looked at Harry, and pleaded, "Mr. Potter, may we remodel this grim old place? It looks like it could be a fairy tale castle, with just a little work."

Harry looked at Hermione, inquiring, "What would we have to do to make changes in the castle?"

Hermione replied, "You are the Regents, Harry, you and Ginny. I do not think you would have to ask anyone about minor color changes or things like that. Major changes, such as removing the wall, would, I think, require you to submit a formal proposal, or at least tell someone."

Scorpius queried, "How do we have to do that? I would like to learn how to write proposals, and learn all I can about how the world of the Magi is governed."

Rose stated, "Cleo, I think you and I ought to draw up the plans together. Let's look inside and see what this castle needs."

John and Mary, the head Elves, were waiting with some other Elves to bring in the luggage and show people to their rooms. Mary approached Cleo and Rose, saying, "I will show you to your rooms." As they went in and down towards the room Rose and Cleo would be staying in, Mary told them, "You can change the color of the Tapestries on the wall, and even of the wall itself."

Mary showed Rose and Cleo what to do. Cleo could change the colors much easier than Rose, but Rose had a much better sense of color, so together they worked on a couple of Tapestries on the way to their room.

Harry watched in amusement as the two girls worked. Finally, Rose brought out a parchment map of the castle, and asked, "Can you make this map so I can draw in changes I would like?"

Harry turned to Albus, replying, "I sort of can, but I would guess that you could probably do it better, Albus."

"I would like to help with that," Albus agreed.

After they were settled, the boys went to the girls' room.

Cleo looked out the window of the room. It looked like it was a long way down to the valley below, and so she asked, "How big is this castle?"

Albus replied, "It's huge. It is two hundred feet from the level of the plaza out front to the start of the valley. There is a hundred-foot atrium in the middle of the castle, to let in light, with a glass roof over it. The area between the atrium and the outside walls start out at about fifty feet, but it gets bigger the lower you get. The walls are at about a thirty-degree angle, so it's huge when you get to the level of the valley.

"There are big formal rooms that are built into the side of the mountain, under the plaza. There are a couple of smaller entrances there too."

They took out the map, and then decided that they needed to look at the entrance again. Cleo and Rose went up to the entrance, while Albus and Scorpius went to find someone who could tell them what they needed to do to remove the wall. Albus found his father, using a map of the castle he carried with him, and asked him, "What do we need to do to remove the wall guarding the plaza in front of the castle?"

Harry replied, "I tried, and I could feel it start to disassemble, but I could not quite do it. I have not spent a lot of time trying to do it. If you can remove the wall I have no objection. Gerhard, is there any reason why the wall has to stay there?"

Gerhard Richter, the Chief Wizard of Switzerland, their equivalent of the Minister of Magic, explained, "As I understand the laws governing the castle, if you have the power to remove that wall, you have the authority to do it. The wall really does not add significantly to the protections on the castle itself, and just makes the Regents and eventual rulers less likable."

Al responded, "Well, we are going to try."

When Al left, Gerhard sent a Patronus to the prophets, telling them, "A prophetess should go to the front of the castle to see what Albus Potter and his friends are doing."

Cleo and Rose, accompanied by guards, entered the plaza. On the one side of the plaza was a dry fountain. Cleo went over to the fountain, looked into it, and giggled, "This fountain makes me want to have a LOT of children. Why is it dry?"

Mary, the Elf, was with them, and she explained, "The fountain will have water in it when the new king and queen of the Magi come into their power."

Cleo declared, "Healing water. I hope it happens soon." She looked at the wall again, and ranted, "I hate that wall. I hate it. This would be such a nice welcoming plaza if the wall was not there.

"How come there are not any flags on the flagpoles?"

Mary explained, "The flags flew the coat of arms of the Rothchild family. When they were killed, the flags were taken down, and no one has decided what to replace it with."

Cleo declared, "It needs flags. The whole county needs pretty, colorful flags."

Rose was looking at the castle walls again. They were all stone, but it looked like the stone could change color, so she asked, "Mary, can we change the color of the stone in the walls?"

"You can try," Mary replied. So Rose tried to change the color of the wall, but nothing happened. Then Cleo went up to the walls, and without any difficulty at all changed the color.

"What colors would be best? How do we make this castle look like a happy, fairy tale castle?" Cleo inquired. Rose and Cleo worked for an hour until the front of the castle gleamed, bright pastel colors that looked like they were the natural color of the stones in the front of the castle.

Finally, Al and Scorpius arrived. Al exclaimed, "I like the color of the castle."

Cleo agreed, "It doesn't look so gloomy. Now we need to remove that stupid wall."

The prophetess Sibylla Papadopoulos entered the plaza. She watched the children from a distance.

Al announced, "My Dad said that if we could remove the wall we had his permission to remove it, and Mr. Richter, the head wizard in this valley, agrees. Cleo, let's try to move blocks in this part of the wall."

Cleo and Al went over to the wall, and started to disassemble the wall block by block. After there were just enough blocks off to make a three-foot breach in the wall Al pointed out, "We need to have someone get rid of these blocks as we remove them."

Al held out his hand, and summoned his broom. When it flew into Al's hand he set up the broom for two-person touring. Al and Cleo mounted the broom and were off. A few minutes later they were back, and two men were with them. Al stated, "Rose, Scorpius, these are my friends who supply stone to the people in the valley, Mr. Flintstone and Mr. Rubble. They are going to take all the stones as we remove them from the wall."

By noon Al and Cleo had removed about thirty-five feet of wall, and the two men had moved about half of the stones off the plaza. Sibylla went over to them and asked, "Hello, Albus. Who are your friends?"

Al responded, "Hello, Mrs. Papadopoulos. I think you know Rose Weasley. Cleopatra Smith is staying with her, and Scorpius Malfoy is staying with me. We are all classmates at Hogwarts."

Albus turned to his friends, explaining, "Mrs. Papadopoulos is a prophetess, and the granddaughter of a famous prophetess, Mrs. Scherica."

"I would like to take you to lunch," Sibylla proposed.

Al replied, "Thank you. That would be nice." The others agreed, and so Sibylla took them about a fifteen-minute walk away to a restaurant with an outside patio, set on the outside of the road instead of into the cliff. From the outside dining area they could see the castle.

They sat down, and ordered. As they were waiting Cleo looked up, and around. She took out her wand, and held it up like she was feeling for something. Then she observed, "I feel like this is a place under siege. I can feel, and almost see, Dementors raging just outside this valley."

"Some of the prophets and prophetesses can feel it as well," Sibylla acknowledged. "It has taken more work than almost anyone can see to protect the security of this valley, and keep it hidden from Muggles. We have had to add protection against Dementors as well.

"Albus, Cleopatra, are you having any trouble removing the wall?"

Albus answered, "It is taking a lot of time, but there is nothing particularly difficult about it."

Cleo joined in, "Albus and I have always had an easy time levitating things. It feels very natural taking the wall apart."

Rose pointed to the castle, explaining, "The castle has ten normal floors below the plaza, and then a couple of very deep floors below that. You cannot easily see all the windows from here, because most of them have been closed off. It is like a block of stone is put in front of the window and until it is removed it looks like the window is not there."

Cleo asked Al, "All those areas with that sort of other red and bright off to the anti-clockwise are windows?"

Sibylla looked at Cleo, eyebrows raised, puzzled.

Al saw the puzzlement and explained, "Cleo sees magic that none of the rest of us can see. When she and I are sharing minds I can see what she sees, and I am sort of learning to see it as well."

Cleo looked at the castle with sort of a wistful look. "You could have a hundred children and not fill that place. I love babies."

Albus responded, "A little moderation, Cleo."

Cleo looked at Al and mumbled, "I know. I know.

"I just think the castle should be a fairy tale castle, filled with happy people."

Sibylla remarked, "I'm forty, and my husband and I have been trying for twenty years to have a child."

Cleo responded, "There is something fertile about the fountain. Let's go there before Al and I go back to taking the wall down."

The assembled crowd, that included Elves and guards, was back at the plaza about one-thirty. Sibylla charged, "Rose, Scorpius, will you try to levitate the blocks on the wall, please."

Both of them tried, with no success. Then several of the other people tried. It sure looked like only Albus and Cleopatra could move any of the blocks that were on the wall.

Shortly after starting on the wall Cleo urged, "Mrs. Papadopoulos, let's go over to the fountain."

Sibylla went over to the fountain with Cleo, and when Cleo climbed into the dry fountain she followed. They stood close to the center, where bowls rose up into a seven-tiered structure in the middle of the fountain. Cleo took out her wand, and moved it over Sibylla. Cleo spent a few minutes going over Sibylla, and then prayed, "Lord, you know that I am not really a Christian or anything, but Albus prays, and I know enough to know that prayer is important. I want Mrs. Sibylla Papadopoulos to have a baby, because she does. Help her, or help me help her."

Sibylla replied, "Amen."

Cleo smiled, and then she giggled, and then she hugged Sibylla. "Have fun tonight, and tomorrow night. Lots of fun." She walked out of the fountain, Sibylla following.

A school bus pulled up, and about forty children, ages six to eight, piled out. There were six chaperons with the group. The leader came over, recognized Sibylla and Albus, and asked, "Are Albus and his friends taking down the wall?"

Sibylla replied, "Yes."

Cleo explained, "We've made the front of the castle prettier. Rose is going to help us make it even prettier. We just need flags for the flagpoles."

One of the girls who was close to the leader, asked, "Who is going to design the flag?"

Cleo replied, "Anyone can. EVERYONE can. I see you have paper and drawing stuff with you. If you design flags we will put them on the castle and the walls on the edge of the plaza and on all the flagpoles everywhere! Just make them happy flags."

"May we, Mrs. Zwiefolhofer?" asked one of the girls.

Rahel Zwiefolhofer responded, "Yes, Laura. You may draw the castle, or you may design flags."

Cleo asked, "Rose, will you help me look at the flags?"

Rose replied, "Sure."

Cleo's enthusiasm for flags was contagious, and before long all the children were drawing flag designs. Cleo spent the next two hours looking at everyone's flag. Whenever there was a question about color, or how to draw something, Cleo called for Rose, who was a good artist, and Rose helped the child. Cleo mostly encouraged, and made sure all the designs had the artist's name clearly printed on the bottom of the flag. Scorpius made sure to get a good list of all the children, so there was a record of all the children who had contributed a flag. Albus continued to dissemble the wall, letting Mr. Flintstone and Mr. Rubble and their staff remove the stones once Al had loosened them.

A half hour before the children had to leave, a large contingent of Elves appeared, bearing blank flags. They magically transferred the drawings onto both sides of a flag, leaving the original drawing intact. Just before the school children left the Elves magically had every flag on a flagpole on the castle.

Cleo looked, and sighed, and declared, "It is beginning to look like a happy place."

Albus, who had just stopped tearing down the wall, declared, "It is! Cleopatra Desiree, you are a marvel. Just looking at what we are doing makes me happy."

Rahel Zwiefolhofer announced, "We have more children coming tomorrow. I am leading these excursions to the castle.

"I am going to try and have a group come every morning, and another in the afternoon, for the rest of the week. We should give at least most of the younger students the chance to design a flag that way."

Cleo replied, "Well, then, we are going to have to make more flags. Every child in the valley should have their own flag flying this year, and then we will have to start over next year and make more happy flags. Happy flags and happy children, I love it!"

After dinner, the four Hogwarts students started to roam the castle. Al and Cleo tried to lighten and brighten all the walls, all the tapestries, and everything they could. Rose helped with her great design and color sense. And Scorpius documented all that was being done.

The next morning the _Magical Local_ and the _Metro Magi_ had as their headline what was going on in the plaza, taking down the wall and designing the flags. The four students read the articles at breakfast. Harry and Ginny came over to the students, and Ginny gushed, "I like what you are doing, making the castle brighter. I love the flags!"

Cleo announced, "More students are coming today. I want all the students in the valley to be able to design a flag!"

Harry declared, "I approve too. This castle has been too grim and foreboding, but we never had the time or inspiration to change it."

Cleo pointed out, "Rose is great with color and design."

Scorpius declared, "I'm just trying to document what is going on, what has changed. I have a list of all the students who designed a flag, and the school they attend. The elves have helped me add a copy of the flag design to my record.

"When we are reading histories it always helps to have an account from someone who was there."

"What about the reporters, Dad?" Albus asked. "I do not want them bothering us all the time."

Harry replied, "It is useful to have reporters on your side. You should not make enemies of them. They are going to write something, and it is better to control the story."

"I just do not want them bothering people," Albus said.

"You should appoint a spokesperson," Harry advocated. "Let that person answer all the questions."

Al reiterated "Scorpius, you are documenting everything. You should be better than anyone at answering questions. Besides, when the students were drawing flags both Rose and Cleo were really busy, and I stayed busy tearing down the wall. Do you want to be our spokesperson?"

"I would like that," Scorpius confirmed. "We need to talk more tonight about what I should and should not say, but I will try."

"Just tell them not to bother anyone today," Albus told him. "They can stay here, and watch, and listen, but not to try and talk to the children or us, just you. Answer simple questions, but if you have any doubts talk to us first."

"I can do that," Scorpius agreed.

After breakfast Al and Cleo started to take down the wall. Shortly after Al and Cleo started Al looked at a couple of blocks he has just sort of released, and turning to his friends said, "Rose, Scorpius, try and move this block after I release it."

Albus and Cleo found that they only had to release a block of the wall and start to move it before Rose and Scorpius could take over. The larger blocks took both Rose and Scorpius to move. They did not have to move them very far before Mr. Flintstone and Mr. Rubble and their crew took over.

About this time reporters from the _Magical Local_ and the _Metro Magi_ appeared. They tried to talk to Albus and Cleo, but they were busy. Rose seemed to be working with them, helping the stones left on the plaza look right. Scorpius went over to them and asked, "May I help you?"

"I'm Jimmy Olsen from the _Metro Magi_ ," a very eager young man said. "We would like to know everything about Albus Potter and his friends. I understand that you are his roommate at Hogwarts. You must know all about him."

Scorpius laughed. "I am sure I do not know everything about Albus, and I am not going to tell you everything I do know. I will try to answer your questions."

An older, shapely woman proclaimed, "I am Brenda Starr from the _Magical Local_. Who is Albus's friend, and why are they taking down the wall?"

Scorpius replied, "Albus's friend is Cleopatra Desiree Smith. Everybody calls her Cleo. She is Rose Weasley's roommate here and at Hogwarts.

"They are taking down the wall because it is ugly and intimidating. Mr. Potter wanted it down too. It makes the castle look less friendly."

"Who gave them permission?" Brenda asked.

Scorpius responded, "Mr. Potter, and Mr. Richter. I guess if you can do it you have permission to do it."

"I like the flags!" Jimmy Olsen exclaimed. "Was that Mr. Potter's idea too?"

"That was Cleo's idea," Scorpius stated.

"Did she ask anyone for permission?" Brenda inquired.

"No," Scorpius admitted.

"She is acting like she owns the castle!" Brenda sneered.

"Mrs. Potter said she always wanted to make the castle nicer, but she never had the energy to do it," Scorpius argued. "She never knew what she wanted to do either. Cleo has NEVER lacked energy, and between her and Rose they seem to know what they want."

Before the reporters could ask any more questions busses with school children drove into the plaza. Cleo and Rose went over and greeted Rahel Zwiefolhofer, and before long Cleo had another group of students making flags.

Scorpius pleaded, "We talked about the students and you reporters at breakfast. Please do not bother the students, or anyone who is working. I am documenting what is going on, and will try and answer your questions."

Brenda looked at some notes, and then asked, "Are you Scorpius Hyperon Malfoy?"

Scorpius said, "Yes, ma'am."

"How did you get to be spokesman for this group?" Brenda asked.

"I'm trying to document everything, but otherwise I am the least busy."

"Is Cleo Albus's girlfriend?" Jimmy asked. "They seem to be the only ones who can tear down the wall."

"They almost look like an old married couple at times," Brenda observed. "They move together like they are almost one person."

"They are a couple," Scorpius confirmed. "It is hard to imagine them with anyone else."

"Are you and Rose Weasley a couple as well?" Jimmy asked.

"No way!" Scorpius exclaimed. "We study together a lot, but she's, well, it's not that way at all. She's just too bossy."

Rose heard this exchange, and grumbled, "Scorpius is an incorrigible know-it-all."

"Just because I don't let you answer ALL the questions in class?" Scorpius retorted.

Cleo suggested, "You ought to take turns."

Rose and Scorpius glared at each other.

Jimmy Olsen said to Scorpius, "I see Rose is not exactly your girlfriend."

"I like studying with her. I would not mind being maybe a LITTLE less competitive, but Rose thinks she has to prove she is as smart and knowledgeable as her mother."

"I OUGHT to know more than you, Mr. Malfoy," Rose replied. "My mother helped write most of the textbooks."

Scorpius observed, "See, she is a little uptight at times, and it wears on me after a while. She is a great study partner, but she is hardly a girlfriend."

Rose made a sort of "Humpf" noise and went back to working with the students on the flags.

* * *

About ten, Sibylla appeared. Cleo stopped moving stones and went over to her. The reporters started to go over to the two women, but at a nod from Cleo Scorpius kept the reporters away.

Cleo took out her wand, waved it over Sibylla, and started to giggle. She then pulled Sibylla into a big hug. "I hope I am right," Cleo grinned. "I feel that you and your husband enjoyed each other last night."

Sibylla exclaimed, "Oh, Cleo! Hermes did some spell for endurance, and we spent more time talking about how we wanted the night to last and last. You stressed that we needed to enjoy each other, and we did! I did not think ecstasy could last that long. When we were done, we were not really done. We stayed joined together, just enjoying being together, until he came again, and then we went to sleep still coupled together. In the middle of the night I had the most fantastic dream, but it wasn't a dream, and we did it again and again.

"We were both a little sore this morning, but we couldn't stop smiling."

Sibylla watched the group as, slowly, the wall came down.

* * *

Wednesday morning there was an article in the _Magical Local_.

 **Plaza Being Transformed by Albus Potter and Friends  
** by Brenda Starr

 _Albus Potter and his friends are transforming the plaza and the front of the castle. You are just beginning to see a much brighter and more colorful castle, complete with amateur flags, all different, flying from the flagpoles on and around the castle complex._

 _Albus Potter is still a little boy, still prepubescent. Despite his small size, and not saying much, he seems to be the acknowledged leader of the group._

 _Cleopatra Desiree Smith, who apparently is his girlfriend, is a large black girl. She is extremely curvy for her age, although she is neither cute nor beautiful. Her overly thick and unruly hair is mostly confined to two big, unfashionable plaits down her back. So far, her dresses have had an empire waist, showing a mammoth bosom for her age, unsuccessfully hiding even larger hips. The dresses all have big kangaroo style pockets more appropriate for a pre-school teacher than a young girl. Cleopatra obviously has no fashion sense._

 _Cleopatra, or Cleo, as she is called, has been acting like the castle is her castle. Apparently without permission, she has been encouraging the children of the valley to design flags. The flags have transformed the castle into looking more like a primary school than an impressive fortification._

 _Cleopatra impresses this reporter as someone who is totally out of control._

 _Rose Weasley is very thin, just like her mother, the British Vice-Minister of Magic, and shares her mother's thick frizzy hair. When I have tried to talk to her she seems very uptight. She takes her venom out on everyone, although it seems to roll off Albus and Cleopatra. She is at least trying to improve the designs on the flags, unlike Cleopatra, who seems not to care how juvenile or unsuitable the flag is._

 _Rose also throws her mother's position at the British Ministry around like a weapon._

 _Scorpius Hyperon Malfoy is also very thin, with thin blond hair and a thin, arrogant, pointed face. Both Rose and Scorpius seem to be dressed like fashion models out of_ Switch _or some other teen-age fashion magazine. Albus Potter is always dressed in Muggle shirts and trousers, and there is nothing particularly stylish about him._

 _Despite his questionable background, with a grandfather serving life in prison, Scorpius Malfoy has become the spokesman for the group. He talks to us rather freely, although it is obvious that he will not answer all our questions. There seems to be a lot of tension between Rose and Scorpius. Despite studying together and being best friends with Albus and Cleopatra, Scorpius and Rose have a hard time being civil to each other._

The article went on to explain in some detail the changes in the Plaza.

The column in the _Metro Magi_ covered much of the same material, without being quite as derisive about the four students.

At breakfast, Al and Scorpius went up to Al's parents and asked, "Have you read the papers? Brenda Starr is not exactly nice."

"She would have been much worse if you had not been at least polite to her," Harry replied. "You need to learn how to make reporters try and write good things about you."

"That's my job?" asked Scorpius.

"If you are the spokesperson, that is at least part of your job, Scorpius," Harry replied. "Good luck."

Harry and Scorpius talked some that morning about how to charm the reporters. When the reporters showed up that morning Scorpius said, "Thank you for the articles, Mr. Olsen and Ms. Starr."

"Did you even read my article?" Brenda Starr asked.

Scorpius replied, "Cleo says her hair IS hard to control. And she did not ask permission to have the students make flags, but she knew that the Potters wanted the castle to look prettier. Mr. and Mrs. Potter approve of the flags, and what Albus and his friends are doing."

"Cleo still seems out of control at times," Brenda proclaimed.

Scorpius laughed. "She SEEMS out of control at times, that's pretty accurate."

Brenda insisted, "Cleopatra IS out of control. I have heard of her magic being out of control at Hogwarts."

Scorpius replied, "She has a little more trouble controlling her magic than most Magi, but she can do all the assignments we have been asked to do and more. She is a very powerful Magi."

Brenda asked, "Are Albus and Cleo the only ones who can remove the wall?"

"They have to loosen the stones. Once a stone or block from the wall has been set free by one of them anyone can move it," Scorpius explained. "It does not seem to be hard for them, although it is time consuming."

When students came Scorpius kept the reporters away. He did find time to compliment Rose on the work she was doing with the students, and Rose responded politely, always when the reporters could hear.

The small group went to lunch the same place, the same time, on Wednesday. They worked with a second set of students Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday Cleo and Rose knew the afternoon group of students were going to be coming about an hour later. There was a section of the wall almost down, so the assembled group walked over to the restaurant about half an hour after their usual time. They were almost at the restaurant when they noticed an Auror putting an object on her broom and flying off with it. She was maybe a thousand feet away from the restaurant and a couple thousand feet away from the group when people saw an explosion.

"Duck, lie flat," Albus yelled as he dropped down, lying flat on the walk next to the wall that was next to the mountain edge.


	29. CH 28 The Explosion and its Aftermath

CH 28 The Explosion and its Aftermath

I have lost my most excellent Beta, Arnel, who is on to other projects. Thank you, Arnel, for all your work, including your work on these two final chapters. FriendofMolly has also disappeared. I am in need of more beta readers.

* * *

"Duck, lie flat," yelled Albus as he dropped down, lying flat on the walk next to the wall.

Everyone in the group except one of the Aurors dropped to below the top of the wall. The one Auror was facing away from the explosion when she was hit by a couple of pieces of whatever it was that exploded. The Auror fell to the ground, obviously wounded. She activated an emergency Portkey, and was transported to the local hospital.

Albus pointed out, "We ate at the same place, at the same time, each day. That was stupid! We are going to have to vary our routine."

Within moments a large number of Swiss Aurors were surrounding the children and those who were with them, and more were going over the restaurant. Everyone was told to stay where they were, and the group all stood or sat right where they had been when the explosion went off, as Aurors and others from the Swiss Department of Magical Law Enforcement swarmed around them.

* * *

Harry was in a meeting with Raphael Vaud, who had just been promoted to the head of the Swiss Aurors, and his predecessor, Gabriel Habsburg, when an alarm went off. Raphael looked at his wall, where both a computer monitor and two parchments were flashing red.

"We have just had an Auror killed," Raphael announced, looking at a large parchment with many names on it. "One wounded as well."

"That is close to where the children are," Harry stated. "Albus and his friends are here." As he said this he pointed to a map showing where the trouble was. The castle and a restaurant were on the map, as well as a red mark that indicated something. Harry could see the names of Albus and his friends on the map between the castle and the restaurant. "I would like to go there. I'm worried that someone may have tried to kill Albus and Cleopatra."

Raphael stated, "Gabriel, if you will stay here and see what else we need to do, I will accompany Harry to the scene."

"Go," Gabriel replied. "You need to be on the scene before talking to Ann's husband."

Raphael told Harry, "We can take a shortcut to here," pointing to a corner of the castle, "and then walk to where the children and others are. I would rather do that, and look at the scene, instead of Apparating into the middle of the action."

Harry followed Raphael through a short series of shortcuts. They came out on the main floor of the castle, and through a door that looked like an ordinary cupboard door. As they walked towards the students and others Harry said, "They seem to have most of the wall down."

"My grandchildren have been making flags," Raphael mentioned. "They all seem to agree that if we have to have a queen then they want Cleopatra."

Harry had no idea how to respond to that remark. He mentally changed the subject, trying to see evidence of the explosion, and did see a few places on the mountain side with what looked like recent impacts.

When Harry reached the students he asked, "Were you going to that restaurant?"

Albus grumbled, "We've been going to that restaurant every day."

"Where do you usually sit?" Harry inquired.

"We usually sit close to the wall," Albus replied, "so we can look at the castle and the valley."

One of the Aurors pointed out, "The package the Auror was carrying had been placed right there," pointing to a place along the wall that two Aurors were examining. "If it had exploded there everyone sitting there would have been killed."

"What happened to the Auror who had the bag" Albus asked.

"She was killed in the explosion," Harry replied. "She saved your lives and the lives of many people."

"It is because of me, isn't it," Albus queried. "Maybe I should just hide away, so no one will have to suffer and die, just to protect me."

"It is not your fault, Albus," Harry responded. "You have things you have to do. We are just going to have to be more careful."

"Do you know who planted the bomb?" Albus asked.

"No," Harry replied. "We are examining memories. I wish we had video cameras that worked in magical space. The goblins and some of the Magi here are working on it, but so far the best they can do is shield a Muggle camera with that magical shielding stuff, and there are things that Muggle cameras cannot see."

Albus asked, "Would it help if you had a map with memory, like the one we used at Hogwarts to help prove Dragon Chen tried to kill James?"

Harry replied, "Yes, it would. Have you perfected it yet?"

Albus confessed, "Not really. We are not very good at making the maps record everything, and I don't think Cleo and I could teach anyone else how to make it yet. Cleo contributes a unique spell, and I am trying to figure it out. She cannot begin to explain what she does. I hope to be able to do it by myself, and to teach others how to do it, by the end of the summer."

Raphael went over to see the reporters, Brenda Starr, Jimmy Olsen, and several others. He told them, "It looks like a bomb was planted in the restaurant. One of the Swiss Aurors was moving it when it exploded, costing her her life. The Swiss Auror Department will have a more thorough announcement tomorrow.

"The Swiss and International Aurors are investigating the incident. We will let you know when we have more information."

Raphael refused to answer any questions. When the reporters asked none of the other people would talk either. Scorpius did say, "If I have any more information that I can reveal tomorrow, I will."

Harry turned to Sibylla and told her, "Please take everybody here back to the castle and have them eat in a dining room there."

One of the Elves announced, "I will arrange." He disappeared with a pop, and soon was back. "I lead you to the dining room."

Shortly after the children, left a young Auror arrived. He went over to Raphael and asked, "I was told I needed to see you. Has Ann been hurt?"

Raphael responded, "Tom, there is no easy way to tell you. A bomb was planted in the restaurant, hidden in a bag Ann took the bag containing the bomb and we think was flying it over to a place where it could be safely examined when it exploded, killing her."

Tom uttered, "Dead? May I see her?"

Raphael admitted, "There is no body, nothing left. What fragments we found are scattered all over. We have tried to find all the body parts we could, and all we have so far are a few fragments.

"You are on fully paid leave for the next week, and longer if you need it. I am so very sorry."

"I need to let the family know," Tom muttered. "The oldest two are with some cousins at my grandmother's, and the baby, our two-year-old, is with one of Ann's great-great grandparents."

Raphael gently told Tom, "Please, if you need anything, let us know. Please let us know when the funeral service is, and if you want Aurors as an honor guard."

Head bent low, tears just starting, Tom walked off the plaza.

Raphael turned toward Harry, inquiring, "Harry, have you had to tell someone their spouse or child was dead?"

"Phillip Fletcher," Harry replied. "He was killed when we captured the last of the Death Eaters. I probably should not have let him accompany the other Aurors; he was a little fool-hardy. I had to tell his twin sister and their parents.

"I've also been involved in telling the parents of some of our International Aurors when they were killed or wounded. It is not easy. I don't think it ever should be easy."

* * *

After lunch Albus and his friends were back in the plaza. There was another group of students that afternoon. There were more guards, and they were more obvious, but otherwise the afternoon was normal.

* * *

Friday morning Ginny woke up suddenly. She had been dreaming, a most disturbing dream. She had never had such a vivid dream. In it Albus was holding something very important, as important as the last Horcrux was to defeating Tom Riddle. Albus looked as bad as Harry did just after Harry had defeated Tom Riddle, worse in fact. Cleopatra was holding a dead baby, her dead baby, Ginny's grandchild, and was beyond grief. In the background there was more death and chaos than Ginny had ever seen, vastly more than at Hogwarts.

Harry was already gone, and Ginny heard Minerva starting to fuss, and Mitzi talking to her as she changed her. Mitzi gave Ginny baby Minerva, gently whispering, "Minerva is changed, and ready to feed."

Ginny put the baby on her breast, and cried. She could not imagine losing her baby. She was scared for Albus, and Cleo, and Rose. She was scared for James, who had been injured, and the baby at her breast. She was even scared for Scorpius Malfoy. After Minerva was fed, and she had eaten, she was going to go up to the plaza and talk to Sibylla, the prophetess.

* * *

Thursday night the four students talked about the attack, but they did not get any additional information. So on Friday morning Scorpius told the assembled reporters, "The attack is still under investigation. We talked to Mr. Potter and a couple of other people last night, but they were not sure who carried out the attack. They are also not sure if it was aimed at a specific person or group. There are people out there who just seem to want to cause chaos.

"I am telling all I know for sure."

The reporters were not satisfied, but no one else would talk to them, and Scorpius did not reveal any additional information.

* * *

Sibylla was sitting in a chair watching the children when Ginny, pushing a pram with Minerva in it, appeared. Minerva stood up, duplicated the chair, and motioned for Ginny to sit down. Mitzi the Elf took out her own stool and sat down beside them.

"How are you, Sibylla?" Ginny asked.

"I think I'm pregnant, Ginny," a radiant Sibylla replied, "It is way too early to tell, but Cleopatra did a spell over me, in the fountain, and somehow all the tension that Hermes and I have been feeling when we have been trying for a baby just went away. We have had a couple of fantastic nights of loving each other, not just sex but that's been really good too, and for the first time in our twenty-year marriage I just feel good about myself and us.

"It is like a prophecy that you are almost sure is going to come true, and then it does. Sometimes you can just feel it. The healers did confirm a fertilized egg this morning, and I do not think we have ever gotten that far.

"How are you?"

Ginny pondered how to answer Sibylla. "Worried. Of course, the attack bothers me. This is not the first time someone has tried to kill Albus.

"I had a horrible dream last night. Albus and Cleopatra had won a big battle, but Cleo was holding her dead baby, and the battle scene was worse than at Hogwarts, many times worse. It was not a normal dream. I'm scared for Albus and Cleo."

"Where were they?" Sibylla asked.

"Coming out of a cave, or some tunnel, or something. I know they were in the Himalayan Mountains, but I don't know how I know."

"What was Albus carrying?"

"A globe, a crystal ball, a real important crystal ball."

"How do you know that?"

Ginny looked at Sibylla puzzled. "I have no idea how I know this much about the dream. It is almost as if it is not a dream, but a future memory. It is really strange. It is terrifying, really. I know there is terrible death and destruction, much worse than at The Battle of Hogwarts."

Sibylla confirmed, "It sounds like it could be a prophesy."

Ginny looked at Sibylla, close to crying. Sibylla took Ginny's hand, and confessed, "I wish I had some comforting words, Ginny. They are destined for this. Look at them."

Albus and Cleopatra were finishing up the plaza, changing the colors of the stones, making minor changes that, in total, made the plaza and castle a very inviting place. It was close to being a fairy tale castle. Rose was fully involved in the discussions about color and all the little details. Scorpius was just writing things down, trying to document what was being done, why, and at times by whom. Sibylla confided in Ginny, "Albus tries to say that there is no certainty that he will be the next king of the Magi, but look at Al and Cleo. They are supremely comfortable here. They both love this place.

"We, the prophets, need to talk to you about prophecy. If this is a prophecy, then it is very important how you handle it. Tell the subject of a prophecy too much and they can try to force the prophecy to come true, with disastrous results."

"Can they try and force something bad not to come true?" Ginny asked.

"That doesn't usually work out either," Sibylla responded. "Let me give you an example. Have you heard the prophecy about the next queen and the flags?"

Ginny dug way back in her memory. "I think the second year Harry and I were here there was a prophecy about the next queen and the flags."

"And did you ever tell Cleo about that prophecy?" Sibylla inquired.

"Oh, no," Ginny exclaimed. "I had forgotten about it. Besides, why should I tell her? I'm not trying to … I'm not really trying to … Oh, Sibylla, I have no idea what I am doing with those two. It is sort of like when Harry first visited, and Mum and Dad all but adopted him. I feel like I've gone from three children to five. I've told Cleo she can call me Mum Ginny, and I think she's already part of our family. Can you and the prophets help me, help Harry and me, know what to do?"

Sibylla explained, "If you had told Cleo about the prophecy she may have been looking for a chance to make flags, or do something to make the prophecy come true. If she had, she may have missed the natural evolution of herself and the children, it being forced or even not working, instead of the flags and the connection she has with the children coming as naturally as it has.

"When it comes to your dream, or whatever it is, we can examine it, to see if we think it is a prophecy. We can tell you what to reveal, if anything, and to whom. Beyond that you just have to do what you have to do. Love is never a bad thing."

"Can we please talk to the other prophets today," Ginny implored.

"I will see if I can arrange a meeting after dinner tonight," Sibylla replied.

* * *

Cleo was talking to fraternal twins, Lea and Luca. Albus had just finished the wall, and he went over to Cleo and looked at the flags, naturally holding hands with her while he was looking.

Lea said, "Miss Cleopatra, I want you to be our new queen."

Luca said, "Just like a girl, Lea! She cannot be our queen unless she marries our next king."

Lea responded, "Albus's father is the Regent, so Albus, you can be the next king, and if you marry Cleopatra, she can be our next queen. It's just that simple."

Cleo looked at Albus with that sappy, loving look and just beamed.

Al pondered a moment, before saying, "I wish it all was just that simple. I am all in favor of marrying Cleo, but we are way too young, and there is no guarantee that I will be the next king. Slow down.

"Besides, who says the next ruling couple will be a king and queen."

Lea said, "But Miss Cleopatra is already making the valley nicer, with the flags, and getting rid of that stupid wall, and changing the look of that grim old place," pointing at the castle, "and everything."

Cleo protested, "None of the flags are my design. You, all of you students, are making the valley nicer."

Both Brenda Starr and Jimmy Olsen were close at hand, and Albus took the reporters and Scorpius aside and said, "I know that my father is the Regent, and that many people are talking about me being the next king or ruler. Please do not put anything about that in the papers. There is no guarantee that I will be the next ruler, and publicizing speculations about it will not help.

"If you do not mention anything about Cleo and me being the next king and queen, or the next rulers, I will ask Scorpius to keep you informed about what we are doing, and the rest of us will talk to you. If you start speculating about what we do not know we will stop talking to you and ask the Aurors to keep you away."

Brenda scowled, saying, "I do want to put in the paper that your Cleopatra seems to have won over the hearts of the children of the valley."

"That's pretty hard to hide," Albus admitted. "You may write that." As soon as he said that Albus was worried about just what the reporters would write, and what they would imply.

"I may not be able to say you are going to be the next king, but you are sure acting like it," Brenda retorted.

Ginny and Sibylla heard the whole conversation. Sibylla told Ginny, "They are fated to do this."

Ginny replied, "I guess I know that, and it terrifies me."

* * *

As usual, Albus and his friends went to dinner in a large dining room at the castle, the same dining room Harry and Ginny were eating in, and this night they ate at the same table. Baby Minerva was in a small cot next to the table, and Mitzi the Elf was eating with them. Harry looked at the four, and then at Albus, and explained, "They are holding a funeral for the Auror who was killed. She was Christian, and they are holding a funeral mass. I think it would be a good idea for the four of you to go, and to express your condolences to her husband and her three children."

"How old are her children?" asked Cleo.

Harry replied, "She has a boy, twelve, and two daughters, one ten, the other just two. Her husband is also an Auror. He is going to be transferring to mostly desk work, to keep him out of danger. The Swiss Aurors do not want to risk something happening to the children's father."

"When is the service?" asked Albus.

"The visiting starts at seven, and I would try to get there shortly after seven," Harry replied. "We will be there, and want the four of you to come with us. The service starts at eight, and should be over by nine. They want to have everything taken care of before the International Conference starts tomorrow."

Scorpius demurred, "I do not think I am going to be your spokesperson for this visiting."

Albus agreed, responding, "No, it is important that I do this myself."

Ginny spoke to Harry, reminding him that they had a meeting with the prophets after the funeral.

When they were done with dinner all four students went back to their rooms. Scorpius changed into a dress robe. Albus wore a sports jacket over Muggle dress clothes. Cleo and Rose wore dresses. The four children met Harry, who was carrying Minerva, and Ginny. Together they went to the main cathedral in the valley. Like most of the buildings in the valley it was partly on the mountain and partly in it, on the lowest main road, not too far from the castle. There was a secure passageway for the rulers of the valley, and with Elf and Auror guards, the group was escorted through the private passageway and into the cathedral.

Harry and Ginny were first, and Albus and Cleo followed, holding hands. Rose and Scorpius brought up the rear, for a change silent and not talking. Together they expressed their condolences to the family of Ann, the Auror who had been killed.

Shortly after the group had finished meeting Ann's family Ginny whispered to Harry, "I have to nurse Minerva."

Harry led the group over to a corner of the hall where they were meeting, where Ginny sat down with Minerva.

Cleo asked, "May I watch?"

Ginny motioned Cleo over, and did a quick privacy spell around the three of them. She then exposed a breast, and Cleo watched as Minerva latched on. Ginny then undid the privacy spell, telling Cleo, "I will do another privacy spell when Minerva has to switch sides."

Cleo asked, "Why did you stop having children after Lily was born?"

Ginny pondered this, then replied, "I had six years of being pregnant or nursing, and I had a one-year-old, a three-year-old, and a five-year-old. I was also working as a reporter for the Daily Prophet, and being the wife of Harry Potter carries with it some additional duties and responsibilities. I needed a break."

"Do you like being a mother?" Cleo inquired.

"Very much," Ginny responded. "I do worry about my children, though. I worry that something will happen to them. It was real hard when James was injured."

Cleo replied, "I thought they could heal his scars."

"One at a time," Ginny stated. "It is going to take hours and hours of spell work to heal all the scars. James says he wants the worst of them healed, but he is not sure if it is worth it healing all of them.

"Some scars never heal, Cleo. You can learn to live with them, and even be happy, but you never get over them."

"Are you happy," Cleo asked.

"I think I'm very happy, Cleo," Ginny assured Cleo. "I have the most loving husband a woman could ever want. I am surrounded by a loving family. The head injury that ended my Quidditch career will never go away, but I have enough help to manage the lack of balance and even a few memory issues.

"There have been a many more happy times than bad times. Besides, I think happiness is partly a choice. Why be unhappy?"

Ginny put up the privacy spell again, and took Minerva off her breast. She patted the baby's back until a little burp came out, and then put her on the other breast before taking the privacy spell off.

"I'm glad to be shaped like a girl," Cleo said, feeling her curves with her hands, "even if I am fat. I feel more comfortable talking to you because you are shaped like a mother too. You and grandmother Weasley just feel more comfortable and motherly to me."

Ginny confided in Cleo, "I am glad I am shaped like a girl too, although I took some potions to make me curvier, and kind of overdid it, with this pregnancy. Mr. Potter likes me better this way than he did when I was real thin. I think I'm fat, well, I know I am kind of fat. I was not fat when I was at Hogwarts, although I did have nice hips, and nice breasts, not too big but not too small either."

"I'm a lot heavier than you were," Cleo explained, "so I know I am not thin. I might as well have big breasts to go along with these huge hips."

Ginny was not sure how to respond to Cleo. Cleo was a little heavy, with very large hips and really big breasts for a twelve-and-a-half-year-old girl. She had a very defined waist, although it was not thin.

When Ginny was done nursing, she let Cleo hold Minerva. Cleo's obvious joy in holding the baby was touching, but also troubling. Ginny thought Cleo wanted children a little too eagerly, and the image of Cleo holding her dead baby would continue to haunt Ginny.

Despite wanting to meeting with the prophets as soon as possible, by the time the church service was over and Harry and Ginny were back at the castle she was too tired. "Minerva is not close to sleeping through the night," Ginny yawned. "I forgot just how tired you get, and stay, until they sleep through the night." The meeting with the prophets would have to wait until after the International Conference of Witches and Wizards.


End file.
